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ORIGINAL   SERMONS; 


BY 


^vtnljyttmnn  S^ini^ttvf$, 


IN 


THE  MISSISSIPPI  VALLEY. 


Now,  I  beseech  you  brethren,  by  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that 
ye  all  speak  the  same  things,  and  that  there  be  no  divisions  among  you; 
but  that  ye  be  perfectly  joined  together  in  the  same  mind,  and  m  the 
same  judgment.  »  Paul. 


CINCINNATI. 

PUBLISHED  BY   M'MILLAN  &  CLOPPER. 

No.  1,  Baker  street. 

1833. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1833,  by  M'Millan  & 
Clopper,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Ohio. 


Standard  Press — Cincinnati. 


©ontcutss. 


PAGE. 


Sermon  1.  Methods  of  Peace,  by  the  Rev.  J.  L.  Wilson,  D.  D.,  5 

2.  The  Character  of  Man,  by  the  same.  23 

3.  The  Way  of  Salvation,  by  the  Rev.  Sayrs  Gazlay,  46 

4.  Same  subject  continued,  by  the  same,  63 

5.  Seasonable  Admonition,  by  the  Rev.  Daniel  Hayden,  76 

6.  Fulfilment  of  the  Ministry,  by  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Brookes,         87 

7.  Gospel  Doctrine  and  Christian  Duty,  by  the  Rev.  James 
Blythe,  D.  D.,  107 

8.  Justification  by  Faith,  by  David  Monfort,  V.  D.  M.,  131 

9.  Christian  Confidence  and  Security,  by  the  same,  145 

10.  Blessedness  of  Justification,  by  the  Rev.  Reuben  Frame,    162 

11.  Hearers  Classified,  by  the  Rev.  Joshua  T.  Russell,  181 

12.  Hearers  Instructed,  by  the  same,  195 

13.  Unity  of  Christ  and  the  Church,  by  the  Rev.  John  Mat- 
thews, D,  D.,  209 

14.  Redemption,  by  the  Rev.  A.  M'Farlane,  A.  M.,  240 

15.  The  Sanctuary  Polluted,  by  the  Rev.  J.  L.  Wilson,  D.  D.,  260 

16.  The  Sanctuary  Cleansed,  by  the  same,    ''  282 
Apology — See  last  page. 


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SERMON  I.* 

BY    THE   KEV.  JOSHUA    L.  WILSOX,    D.  D, 

METHODS   OF   PEACE. 

Let  us  follow  after  the  things  that  mcike  for  peace.     Rom.  siv.  19. 

History,  tradition,  observation  and  experience,  all  an- 
nounce that  this  world  is  a  "vast  scene  of  strife."  That 
irrational  animals,  under  the  influence  of  ungovernable 
instincts,  should  torment  and  destroy  each  other;  or, 
that  hopeless  fiends  should  revel  in  eternal  discord,  is 
no  matter  of  surprise — but  that  rational  creatures,  pre- 
served in  a  condition  of  hope,  exposed  to  everlasting 
despair,  capable  of  intellectual  improvement  and  social 
happiness,  children  of  the  same  family,  all  looking  for- 
ward to  death  and  after  death  the  judgment,  should,  un- 
der the  influence  of  pride,  prejudice,  passion,  ambition 
or  avarice,  make  this  world  a  scene  of  contention,  ra- 
pine and  blood,  is  a  picture  of  degeneracy,  at  the  sight 
of  which  angels  may  wonder,  and  men  should  weep. 

If  animosity  and  strife  were  only  found  among  those 
"who  say  unto  God,  depart  from  us  for  we  desire  not 
the  knowledge  of  thy  ways" — if  none  but  the  avowed 
sons  of  Belial  were  engaged  in  ''hatred,  variance,  emu- 
lations, wrath  and  strife" — there  would  be  less  cause 
for  surprise  and  regret.     But,  what  language  can  de- 

*  Preached  at  the  opening  of  the  Synod  of  Ohio,  in  the  First  Presbyte- 
rian Church,  in  Cincinnati,  October,  1822 ;  in  the  McCord  Church,  Lex- 
ington, Ky.,  January,  1824;  revised,  and  delivered  at  the  opening  of  the 
Cincinnati  Presbytery,  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Cincinnati,  Janu- 
ary, 1833;  and  now  respectfully  submitted  to  the  consideration  of  all  ifa« 
churches. 

1 


O  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

scribe  the  afTccling  scenes,  where  the  professed  sub- 
jects of  the  Prince  of  peace  display  their  hostile  ban- 
ners, and  silence  the  voice  of  friendship  and  the  accents 
of  love  by  the  clangor  of  passion  and  the  din  of  dis- 
cord; TV  here  tlie  experience  of  age  is  silenced  by  the 
clamor  of  youth,  and  the  meekness  of  wisdom  scorned 
as  imbecility — where  pre-eminence  is  sought  by  novel- 
ty, and  multitudes  turned  from  the  "old  paths"  by 
innovation;  where  the  true  ministers  of  God  are  con- 
strained to  engage  in  theological  debate  with  men  who 
corrupt  the  word  of  God;  where  all  the  panoply  of 
heaven  is  buckled  on  to  defend  the  church  against 
those  who  subvert  the  souls  of  men  by  substituting  a 
vain  philosophy  for  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

How  painful  was  the  task  imposed  on  the  apostles 
and  elders  when  they  were  constrained  to  leave  their 
several  fields  of  delightful  and  useful  labor,  and  assem- 
ble at  Jerusalem,  not  to  contend  with  infidel  Jews  nor 
with  Pagan  philosophers,  not  to  push  their  united  force 
against  the  common  and  avowed  enemies  of  the  cross 
of  Christ;  but  to  dispute  with  professing  Christians — 
to  measure  the  weapons  of  theological  warfare  with  the 
professed  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ — to  contend  earnest- 
ly with  men  who  had  gone  out  from  among  themselves, 
troubling  the  churches  and  subverting  souls  with  un- 
commanded  words! 

How  affecting  was  the  premonition  given  by  the  apos- 
tle Paul  to  the  elders  of  the  church  of  Ephesus,  assem- 
bled at  Miletus — "Ye  know  from  the  first  day  that  I 
came  into  Asia,  after  what  manner  I  have  been  with 
you  at  all  seasons,  serving  the  Lord  with  all  humility  of 
mind  and  with  many  tears  and  temptations — and  how 
J  kept  back  nothing  that  was  profitable  unto  you,  and 


METHODS  OF  PEACE.  7 

have  taught  you  puhHcly,  and  from  house  to  house — 
wherefore  I  take  you  to  record  this  day  that  I  am  pure 
from  the  blood  of  all  men,  for  I  have  not  shunned  to 
declare  to  you  all  the  counsel  of  God.  Take  heed, 
therefore,  unto  yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock  over  the 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers — to 
feed  the  church  of  God  which  he  hath  purchased  with 
his  own  blood.  For  I  know  this,  that  after  my  depar- 
ture shall  grievous  wolves  enter  in  among  you,  not 
sparing  the  flock.  x\lso  of  yourselves  shall  msn  arise, 
speaking  perverse  things,  to  draw  away  disciples  after 
them.  Therefore  watch  and  remember  that  by  the 
space  of  three  years  I  ceased  not  to  warn  every  one 
night  and  day  with  tears !" 

In  scenes  of  strife  and  debate,  in  scenes  of  resistance, 
striving  even  unto  blood,  the  apostles  resembled  the 
prophets.  The  disciples  were  like  their  master,  and 
the  servants  as  their  Lord.  The  reason  is  plain. 
Truth  and  falsehood  often  meet,  and  never  agree. 
Every  man  therefore  who  wi^es  to  preserve  a  "  good 
conscience,"  must  "war  a  ^B^d  warfare."  He  must 
not  for  a  moment,  nor  in  the  slightest  degree,  favor  that 
^'monster  of  modern  philosophy ^THR  innocence  of  ersor. 
He  must  detect  it;  pursue  it;  hunt  it  down;  urge  it  over 
the  precipice:  but  permit  those  who  started  with  it  to 
disentangle  themselves  and  save  their  lives,"  if  they 
can.  To  accomphsh  these  objects,  to  remedy  evils  of 
such  magnitude,  to  wipe  disgrace  from  the  church  of 
God,  to  cultivate  peace  by  the  promotion  of  purity,  the 
ministers  of  reconciliation  point  to  the  Prince  of  peace, 
his  precepts,  his  example.  They  say  to  all,  "  Brethren, 
whatsoever  things  are  true^  honesty  just,  lovely  and  of 
good  report,  think  on  these  things."     They  say  to  all, 


8 


ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 


as  in  our  text,  "follow  after  the  things  that  make  for 


peace  " 


To  this  exhortation,  brethren,  I  affectionately  invite 
your  attention,  while  I  endeavor  to  direct  joui'  hearts 
into  the  love  of  God,  and  your  feet  in  the  paths  of 
peace.  And  may  the  Holy  Spirit  of  truth,  grace,  and 
peace  descend  into  every  heart,  and  crown  this  labor 
with  his  smiles  and  benediction. 

The  term  peace  is  very  significant.  It  signifies  res- 
pite from  war,  quiet  from  disturbances,  exemption  from 
tumults,  rest  from  commotions,  reconciliation  of  differ- 
ences, suppression  of  evil  passions,  freedom  from  dan- 
gerous errors;  all  foretastes  of  the  highest  state  of 
peace,  heavenly  rest. 

My  text  speaks  of  peace  in  general.  Were  I  to  de- 
scend to  particulars,  I  might  recommend  spiritual  peace, 
which  consists  in  deliverance  from  sin,  by  which  we  are 
at  enmity  with  God;  social  peace,  which  is  a  state  of 
mutual  agreement  and  confidence;  ecclesiastical  peace, 
which  is  a  freedom  fro^^ontentions  in  the  church,  and 
exemption  from  persecWon. 

On  these  I  cannot  now  enlarge.  The  same  process 
which  advances  peace  in  general,  will  promote  eyery 
kind  of  peace  to  which  I  have  alluded. 

In  pointing  out  several  steps  which  we  may  take 
in  following  after  the  things  that  make  for  peace,  I 
observe, 

I.  Every  one,  who  desires  to  promote  peace,  must 
take  special  care  to  be  himself  a  good  man. 

Bad  men,  in  church  and  state,  are  hke  "the  troubled 
sea  that  cannot  rest."  From  goodness  only  can  we  ex- 
pect the  fruits  of  goodness.  The  principal  characte- 
ristics of  a  good  man  are  love  and  humility.     Love  to 


METHODS  OF  PEACE.  \f 

God,  love  to  his  neighbor,  love  to  his  enemies,  fills  the 
heart  of  a  good  man.  The  knov^iedge  of  what  he  is, 
and  what  he  ought  to  be,  a  view  of  his  own  meanness 
and  the  Saviours  merit,  a  sense  of  his  own  vileness  by 
a  discovery  of  the  glory  of  God,  a  deep  conviction  of 
sin  and  a  hope  of  mercy  through  the  blood  of  the  cross, 
brings  him  to  the  dust,  clothes  him  with  humility.  He 
sits  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  who  was  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart.  He  follows  the  example  of  Jesus,  who  made 
himself  of  no  reputation. 

Too  often,  my  brethren,  there  is  a  pernicious  distinc- 
tion made  between  goodness  and  greatness.     The  idea 
that  many  form  of  goodne^is  lov*^  and  degrading.    To 
express  low  thoughts  of  one,  of  whom  a  lovv  opinion  is 
formed,  it  is  not  unusual  to  say,  he  is  a  good,  well-mean- 
ing man.     Publish  in  any  of  our  churches  the  name  of 
an  unknown  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  what  do  ycu 
immediatelv  hear?     "Is  he  a  great   man?''     "Is  he  a 
great   speaker?"     "Shall   we  be  much    entertained?" 
Does  not  this  prove  that  there  is  an  invidious  distinc- 
tion   between    goodness    and    greatness?      Ought   not 
persons   rather  to  ask,  is  he  a  good  m.an?     Is  he  an 
evangelical  preacher?     Shall  we   be  edified  in  love, 
comforted  in  hope,  and  conducted  in  the  way  of  truth 
and  peace,  by  his  preaching?     Ministers  of  the  gospel 
are  in  great  danger  of  being  led  astray  by  this  popular 
error.     The  applause  of  men,  the  splendor  of  distinc- 
tions, the  sound  of  titles,  too  often  captivate  their  hearts; 
and  in  their  efforts  to  become  great  men,  they  some- 
times  lose    sight  of  goodness.     Such  great  men   fre- 
quently disdain  to  tread  in  the  plain   and  beaten  path    / 
of  evangelical  truth.     To  reject  old  systems,  to  invent 
new  plans,  to  be  the  leader  of  a  sect,  to  soar  on  the 


10  ORIGINAL  SERMONS* 

wings  of  fancy  or  sit  on  the  summit  of  popular  applause^ 
are  the  purposes  for  which  they  trim  the  midnight 
lamp.  "Verily  I  say  unto  you,  they  have  their  re- 
ward." But  in  proportion  as  reputation  is  acquired  hy 
the  sacrifice  of  goodness,  peace  is  destroyed.  Conten- 
tion, strife,  and  division,  are  the  concomitants  of  such 
greatness.  In  the  opinion  of  the  Lord  of  glory,  the 
humble  man  is  the  great  man.  "To  this  man  will  I 
look,"  saith  Jehovah,  "even  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of 
a  contrite  spirit,  and  trembleth  at  my  word."  "  God 
resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth  grace  unto  the  humble." 
It  is  by  cultivating  meekness  and  lowliness  of  heart 
that  men  "  follow  after  the^ings  that  make  for  peace." 
And  let  the  gilded  aspirants  who  float  on  the  breath  of 
popularity  and  glitter  in  the  sparks  of  their  own  kin- 
dling, know  that  the  path  of  their  brightness  shall  end 
in  darkness,  when  the  humble  shall  be  crowned  with  a 
halo  of  glory.  The  happy  spirits  that  adore  and  burn 
before  the  throne  of  the  Supreme,  are  humble.  "He 
that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted,  and  he  that  would 
be  chief  among  you  let  him  be  servant  of  all." 

2.  He  who  would  follow  the  things  that  make  for 
peace  must,  as  far  as  possible,  think  favorably  of  the  sen- 
timents and  conduct  of  others.  I  admit  that  those  who 
are  taught  of  God  cannot  think  favorably  of  dangerous 
errors,  of  evil  devices.  This  is  plainly  impossible. 
The  idea  of  a  man  of  common  sense  and  common 
honesty  thinking  well  of  others  contrary  to  evidence, 
is  palpably  absurd.  But  the  sons  of  peace  will  be  more 
careful  to  extract  the  beam  than  pull  out  the  mote. 
Every  one  ought  to  know  that  the  Lord  seeth  not  as 
man  seeth.  Jesus  Christ  has  said,  "  Judge  not  from 
appearance,  but  judge  righteous  judgment.     A  thou- 


METHODS  OF  PEACE.  11 

sand  circumstances  may  influence  the  opinions  and 
conduct  of  others,  which  we  can  neither  know,  under- 
stand nor  appreciate.  In  all  doubtful  cases  our  judg- 
ment should  be  suspended  till  an  opportunity  he  afforded 
for  a  full  and  impartial  investigation.  One  of  the  most 
amiable  traits  in  the  portrait  of  charity  is,  that  she 
"thinketh  no  evil.''  It  often  happens,  that  good  men 
who  have  the  same  benevolent  ends  in  view  differ  about 
the  waj's  and  means  of  accomplishing  their  designs. 
In  such  cases  mutual  forbearance  and  candid  explana- 
tion are  indispensable  for  the  promotion  of  peace. 
Were  men  at  all  times  swift  to  hear,  slow  to  speak  and 
slow  to  wrath,  at  all  times  disposed  to  bear  each  other's 
burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ,  which  is  love; 
at  all  times  vigilant  and  active  in  following  the  exam- 
ple of  him  who  pities  our  weakness,  helps  our  infirmi- 
ties, and  forgives  our  sins,  strife  would  come  to  an  end, 
and  peace  universally  prevail.  Those  who  believe 
that  God  has  opened  their  own  eyes,  and  restored  their 
souls,  and  made  them  to  walk  in  the  paths  of  righteous- 
ness for  his  name's  sake,  ought  to  feel  compassion  and 
exercise  forbearance,  and  hold  out  the  hand  of  assis- 
tance to  such  as  are  still  under  the  power  of  darkness. 
The  sympathies  of  piety  incline  us  to  pity  the  children 
of  affliction.  We  hasten  to  save  with  a  friendly  hand 
those  who  are  exposed  to  p^il,  and  we  experience  a 
gratification  in  administering  to  the  necessities  of  the 
wretched.  But  who  are  more  the  children  of  affliction 
than  those  who  are  blinded  by  the  God  of  this  world? 
Who  are  in  more  imminent  danger  than  the  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins?  Who  are  more  wretched  than  the 
deluded  wanderers  from  God,  from  heaven,  from  hope? 
And  shall  we  pass  such  with  disdain?     Shall  we  repel 


12  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

them  by  reproach?  Shall  we  take  the  attitude  of  self- 
righteousness,  and  despise  others?  Let  us  remember 
the  rock  whence  we  were  hewn,  the  hole  of  the  pit 
whence  we  were  digged,  and  become  the  promoters  of 
peace  by  being  gentle  towards  all  men. 

3.  He  who  follows  after  the  things  that  make  for 
peace,  must  possess  and  cherish  a  forgiving  temper. 
In  this  world  of  strife  every  one  meets  with  enemies. 
However  unexceptionable  his  conduct,  however  pure 
his  motives,  however  sound  his  faith,  he  will  meet  with 
the  strife  of  tongues,  and  feel  the  darts  of  malevolence. 
To  abstain  from  retaliation,  to  take  joyfully  the  spoil- 
ing of  goods,  to  be  patient  under  reproach,  to  bless 
when  cursed,  to  do  good  when  injured,  to  forgive  as  he 
hopes  to  be  forgiven,  are  labors  of  love  reserved  for 
those  only  who  follow  after  the  things  that  make  for 
peace. 

Do  you  tell  me  that  if  your  enemies  would  repent, 
if  they  would  humble  themselves  at  your  feet,  if  they 
would  confess  their  faults  and  redress  the  wrongs  they 
have  done,  then  you  would  forgive  them;  then  you 
would  ask  the  Father  of  mercies  to  bless  them;  then 
you  would  cherish  them  with  feelings  of  benevolence? 
Let  me  tell  you  that  for  this  desirable  change  of  heart 
and  life  you  must  not  wait.  While  they  remain  your 
enemies  you  must  do  them  good,  and  thus  be  perfect, 
as  your  Father  in  heaven  is  perfect;  for  "he  causcth 
his  sun  to  rise  upon  the  evil  and  the  good,  and  sendeth 
his  rain  upon  the  just  and  unjust."  If  you  indulge  a 
hostile  temper  and  delay  forgiveness  till  your  enemies 
fall  at  jour  feet,  till  they  repair  damages  and  solicit  the 
hand  of  reconciliation,  you  do  not  then  forgive  an  ene- 
my; you  embrace  a  friend.     And  if  you  love  those 


METHODS  OF  PEACE.  13 

only  who  love  you,  you  do  no  more  to  promote  peace 
than  publicans  and  sinners,  and  even  the  most  malicious 
hypocrites. 

4.  He  who  would  follow  after  the  things  that  make 
for  peace,  must  engage  in  controversy  with  the  meek- 
ness of  wisdom.  The  discussion  of  subjects  on  which 
men  differ  in  opinion,  is  unavoidable.  Men  of  great 
self-denial,  of  hopeful  piety,  of  high  literary  attainments, 
have  taken  different  views  of  the  same  subjects,  and 
been  conducted  to  different  conclusions  by  their  inves- 
tigations. This  is  not  at  all  surprising,  where  men 
"know  only  in  part,"  and  "see  through  a  glass  darkly." 
There  is,  however,  an  immutable  difference  between 
truth  and  error,  an  infallible  standard  of  right  and 
wrong,  a  correct  mode  of  interpretation.  But  this  dif- 
ference cannot  be  perceived,  this  standard  is  never 
reached,  this  mode  will  never  be  adopted  where  pride, 
prejudice,  passion  and  love  of  pre-eminence  reign  in  the 
hearts  of  men.  Those  who  enter  the  list  of  contro- 
versy for  the  promotion  of  peace  will  never  indulge  in 
declamation,  nor  raise  the  tone  of  dictation.  To  the 
law  and  testimony  they  will  make  their  appeal.  To 
promote  party  interests,  to  maintain  obstinately  favor- 
ite plans,  to  strive  for  victory  more  than  truth,  must  be 
always  considered  unworthy  motives  in  Christian  dispu- 
tation. To  garble  sentiments,  distort  principles,  misre- 
present arguments,  is  a  departure  from  courtesy  and 
candor.  Nor  can  it  subserve  the  cause  of  truth  nor 
promote  peace,  for  men  to  expose  their  opponents  to 
hatred  by  alleging  their  opinions  to  have  been  held  by 
bad  men.  Are  we  bound  to  discard  a  proposition,  as 
false,  because  wicked  men  have  held  the  truth  in  un- 
righteousness?    Could  we  expose  to  the  greatest  odium 


14  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

whole  communities  by  calling  them  Papists,  Heretics, 
Calvinists,  ArminianSjIIopkinsians,  or  Unitarians,  would 
this  settle  the  important  questions  concerning  the  su- 
premacy of  the  Pope,  the  doctrines  of  election,  falling 
from  grace,  God's  being  the  author  of  sin,  or  the  divinity 
of  Christ?  These,  and  other  points  of  dispute,  if  ever 
decided,  will  be  settled  by  a  very  different  process,  and 
he  who  fancies  that  truth  and  peace  are  promoted  by 
names  of  disgrace,  is  as  far  from  the  ways  of  wisdom 
as  he  who  imagines  that  hatred  is  the  cause  of  love. 
We  are  warranted  in  saying  that  the  holy  scriptures 
are  given  by  inspiration  of  God.  They  are  able  to 
make  us  wise  unto  salvation  through  faith  in  Christ 
Jesus.  To  them  we  should  appeal,  as  an  infallible 
standard. 

The  Bereans  were  more  noble  than  those  in  Thessa- 
lonica,  in  that  "they  received  the  word  with  all  readi- 
ness of  mind,  and  searclied  the  scriptures  daily,  whether 
those  things  were  so."  Therefore  many  of  them  be- 
lieved. Let  every  one  who  enters  the  list  of  contro- 
versy advance  with  diffidence  in  himself,  confidence  in 
Christ,  candor  and  affection  towards  his  opponents,  hav- 
ing for  his  grand  object  the  glory  of  God  in  the  ad- 
vancement of  truth  and  peace.  Every  man  who  enters 
upon  theological  discussion  should  think  and  speak  sys- 
tematically. But  as  all  systems  formed  by  human  de- 
vice are  imperfect,  Christian  theologians  must  form 
their  system  by  the  oracles  of  God.  The  man  who 
examines  these  oracles,  in  order  to  know  what  to  be- 
lieve and  what  to  do,  and  holds  himself  in  readiness  to 
add  or  retrench  as  the  light  of  God's  word  requires,  is 
in  the  way  of  truth,  a  promoter  of  peace,  a  fair  candi- 
date for  usefulness  and  glory. 


METHODS  OF  PEACE.  15 

5.  They  who  follow  the  things  that  make  for  peace, 
must  maintain  against  all  opposition  the  purity  of  the 
church. 

The  purity  of  the  church  consists  in  sound  doctrine, 
correct  discipline,  and  a  deportment  becoming  the  gos- 
pel. All  men,  except  fools  and  maniacs,  will  have  some 
religion,  which  they  either  now  profess  or  intend  to 
profess  hereafter.  We  profess  Christianity,  giving  it 
preference,  from  education  or  choice,  to  Paganism,  Ju- 
daism, Mahometanism  or  Deism.  Also,  from  education 
or  choice,  out  of  about  800  sects  of  professed  Christians, 
we  have  selected  that  particular  branch  of  Presbyte- 
rianism  now  known  in  North  America  by  the  name  of 
General  Assembly  Presbyterians.  Every  denomina- 
tion of  Christians  makes  an  appeal,  more  or  less  direct, 
to  the  Bible.  Every  Christian  sect  must  say  what  the 
Bible  teaches,  and  on  this  interpretation  they  must  risk 
their  salvation.  They  have  a  right,  under  their  re- 
sponsibility to  God,  to  interpret  liis  word,  and  to  adopt 
their  own  mode  of"  explanation.  Here  their  right  of 
explanation  ends.  Their  creed,  once  expressed — that 
is,  their  explanation  of  what  the  Bible  teaches  men  to 
believe  and  do — once  adopted  as  a  system  of  truth,  is 
their  philosophy  of  the  facts  of  the  Bible,  and  further 
explanation  by  them  is  inadmissible  unless  they  intend  to 
change  their  creed.  Admit  them  to  explain  the  Bible 
and  thereby  form  a  creed;  then  admit  them  to  explain 
their  creed;  and  then  admit  them  to  explain  that  ex- 
planation; and  you  have  three  creeds  instead  of  one; 
nay  more,  you  may  have  twenty  creeds  under  one  de- 
nomination, and  every  new  expositor  may  call  the  ex- 
planation of  his  predecessor  or  cotemporary  stale  and 
worthless. 


16  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

Such  a  license  as  this,  would  destroy  all  Christian  con- 
fidence, distract  all  Christian  societies,  and  put  an  end 
to  the  legitimate  use  of  creeds  and  confessions.  I  say, 
then,  a  Confession  of  Faith,  once  formed,  expresses,  ac- 
cording to  the  views  of  the  framers  and  adopters,  if  they 
be  honest  men,  what  the  word  of  God  teaches,  and  men 
make  and  adopt  a  confession  at  the  hazard  of  their 
souls.  If  men  see  their  creed  is  wrong,  let  them  make 
a  better,  but  let  them  deny  the  former  and  not  profess 
to  retain  it  while  they  make  a  new  system  by  philoso- 
phizing on  the  facts  contained  in  the  old  one.  When 
we  speak  then  of  sound  doctrine,  or  a  form  of  sound 
words,  we  mean  the  system  of  doctrine  taught  in  the 
holy  scriptures,  expressed  in  the  language  of  our  Confes- 
sion of  Faith.  If  there  be  any  subject  on  which  the 
confession  has  said  nothing,  on  that  subject  brethren  of 
the  same  denomination  may  be  allowed  kindly  to  differ 
in  opinion,  but  on  every  subject  on  which  the  Confes- 
sion has  spoken,  they  are  bound  to  speak  the  same 
things,  to  mind  the  same,  that  there  be  no  division 
among  you.  He  then  who  corrupts  the  Christian 
creed  of  the  society  to  which  he  belongs,  corrupts  the 
word  of  God,  on  the  supposition  that  the  society 
holds  the  truth.  He  who  perverts  the  Confession  of 
Faith  of  his  own  church  perverts  the  doctrines  of  the 
Bible.  He  who  wrests  it  wrests  the  scriptures  to  his 
own  destruction.  If  «i  confession  be  wrong,  leave  it? 
and  say  in  another,  what  ought  to  be  believed  and 
practised;  but  wo  to  that  man  who  says  it  is  right, 
and  yet  perverts  it.  I  speak  not  this  unadvisedly. 
There  is  no  sin,  except  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
80  great,  as  that  of  preaching  "  another  gospel,  which  is 
not  another."     It  would  draw  down  the  curse  of  God 


METHODS  OF  PEACE. 


17 


upon  an  angel  from  heaven.  Wo  to  that  society  which 
frames  or  adopts  an  erroneous  creed,  and  wo  to  that 
man  who  professes  one  creed  and  preaches  another. 
He  may  possess  the  most  splendid  talents;  he  may  wear 
the  brightest  crown  of  human  applause :  but  it  were 
better  for  him  had  he  never  been  born. 

Discipline  stands  intimately  connected  with  doc- 
trine. I  am  aware  that  church  discipline  is  treated 
with  levity,  and  sometimes  even  with  scorn.  The  cen- 
sures of  an  ecclesiastical  court  are  considered  by  many 
as  mere  scarecrows  to  terrify  the  weak  and  ignorant. 
What  ideas  have  we  of  a  kingdom?  Is  not  Jesus  Christ 
our  king?  Is  he  not  set  upon  the  ho]y  hill  of  Zion? 
Has  not  an  inspired  apostle  said  to  the  subjects  of  this 
kingdom, ''  Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you,  and 
submit  yourselves,  for  they  watch  for  your  souls  as  they 
that  must  give  account?"  Can  there  be  a  kingdom 
without  laws,  without  penalties,  without  officers,  with- 
out subordination?  The  officers  in  the  kingdom  of  our 
Lord  do  not  watch  for  men's  bodies,  to  imprison  or  tor- 
ture them;  nor  for  their  estates,  to  confiscate  them:  they 
watch  for  their  souls,  and  of  their  vigilance  and  fidelity 
they  must  give  account.  The  king  of  Zion  has  given 
them  power,  whether  it  be  believed  or  disbelieved;  not 
merely  the  power  of  teaching,  exhorting,  warning,  re- 
proving, and  rebuking;  but  of  suspending  and  excom- 
municating the  ignorant  and  scandalous.  And  what 
they  bind  on  earth  is  bound  in  heaven.  The  king  rati- 
fies every  just  decision.  And  wo  to  that  man  who 
treats  the  disciphne  of  Christ's  house  with  indifference ! 
But  disciphne  should  be  exercised  to  promote  peace- 
exercised  with  prudence,  patience,  tenderness,  affec- 
tion, dehberation,  solemnity,  and  without  partiality. 


18 


ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 


The  promotion  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  salvation  of 
men,  by  preserving  the  peace  and  purity  of  the  church, 
is  the  blessed  end  of  discipHne.  And  that  discipline  will 
promote  the  greatest  degree  of  peace  which  is  exer- 
cised with  the  greatest  degree  of  love.  Let  the  strong 
bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak.  Let  the  spiritual  re- 
store the  tempted.  And  let  the  elders  that  rule  well 
be  counted  worthy  of  double  honor. 

But  let  discipline  be  neglected,  because  the  task  is  ar- 
duous, painful,  and  unpopular;  let  false  teachers  be  en- 
couraged, because  there  is  an  'elective  affinity'  for  error; 
let  conformity  to  the  world  be  indulged  on  the  plea  of 
mental  cultivation,  polite  accomplishment,  or  innocent 
amusement;  let  a  lax  church  open  its  doors  and  become 
an  asylum  for  the  offenders  of  a  church  more  strict;  let 
a  multitude  of  small  churches  be  organized  in  the 
neighborhood  of  each  other,  to  gratify  discontented 
minorities,  or  answer  party  purposes:  and  there  is  an 
end  to  peace.  The  waters  of  the  troubled  deep  cannot 
be  more  agitated  by  a  tempest  than  will  such  a  cor- 
rupt society  be  disturbed  by  discord,  debate,  wrath, 
strife,  heresies,  and  even  tumults. 

6.  Those  who  follow  the  things  that  moke  for  peace 
must  support  the  Bible  cause.  The  Bible  is  God's 
book.  From  it  we  learn  our  origin  and  our  end.  It 
is  designed  by  its  author  as  the  grand  instrument  of 
peace.  Bible  Societies  wear  a  peculiar  aspect;  an 
aspect  which  it  is  impossible  for  Satan,  with  all  his  ar- 
tifice, to  imitate,  pei-vert,  or  destroy.  Union,  purity, 
and  peace  form  a  threefold  cord  not  easily  broken* 
Sacrifices  have  been  perverted,  signs  and  wonders  imi- 
tated, the  Urim  and  Thummim  counterfeited.  Mis- 
Honary  Societies,  Tract  Societies,  Education  Societies, 


& 


METHODS    OF   PEACE.  19 

Theological  Seminaries,  and  Sabbath  Schools,  though 
excellent  institutions,  may  be,  and  some  of  them  already 
have  been  made,  the  unwilling  instruments  of  propa- 
gating the  most  fatal  errors.  And  what  good  institu- 
tion on  earth  has  not  been  perverted  or  contaminated 
by  men  of  corrupt  minds?  I  answer,  Bible  Societies. 
These  cannot  be  imitated,  perverted,  nor  overthrown 
by  Satan  and  his  ministers,  transformed  into  an  angel 
of  light  and  ministers  of  rigiiteousness.  Bible  Socie- 
ties, pure  in  their  principles,  benevolent  in  their  de- 
signs— simple,  sublime,  and  pow^erful  in  their  operations, 
are  accomplishing  by  means  what  was  once  done  by 
miracle — the  communication  of  the  w^onderful  w^orks 
of  God,  to  ever}^  man  in  his  own  tongue  wherein  he 
was  born.  They  have  done  more  for  the  promotion  of 
peace  in  eighteen  years,  than  w^as  done  before  for 
eighteen  centuries.  They  form  a  point  of  union  for 
the  philanthropist,  the  patriot,  the  philosopher,  and 
the  Christian.  A  place  where  they  can  all  meet  with- 
out light  having  fellowship  with  darkness,  or  Christ 
holding  concord  w^ith  Belial.  They  form  an  unfurled 
banner,  inscribed  with  love,  around  wdiich  all  Chris- 
tians can  assemble  in  peace.  They  form  a  deep-rooted, 
towering,  and  flourishing  tree,  w^hose  branches  spread 
over  every  clime,  and  whose  leaves  are  for  the  healing 
of  the  nations. 

Ye  lovers  of  order,  ye  friends  of  peace,  ye  promoters 
of  righteousness,  cherish  this  lovely  tree.  Sit  together 
under  its  shadow^;  partake  of  its  pleasant  fruits.  O  how 
I  long  to  see  the  happy  day  when  the  peace  of  God 
shall  reign  in  every  heart,  and  the  nations  and  churches 
learn  war  no  more.  Come,  thou  blessed  Prince  of 
peace,  and  cherish  this  lovelv  tree. 


90 


ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 


Here  shed  the  lustre  of  thy  fame ; 

Diffuse  thy  grace  abroad  ; 
Let  distant  nations  learn  thy  name, 

And  own  their  sovereign  Lord. 

II.  After  what  has  been  said,  I  have  time  to  say  but 
little  with  regard  to  the  motives  which  should  excite  lis 
to  follow  after  the  things  that  make  for  peace.  There 
are  however  three  leading  motives  which  must  operate 
powerfully  upon  the  heart  of  every  good  man.  The 
love  of  Christ,  the  command  of  Christ,  the  blessing  of 
Christ.  Who  can  resist  the  Saviour's  love?  Who 
can  trifle  with  the  Saviour's  injunction?  Who  can 
slight  the  Saviour's  blessing? 

Dear  brethren,  many  of  you  are  called  in  a  particu- 
lar manner  to  be  ministers  of  reconciliation,  messen- 
gers of  peace.  It  is  your  honor  and  felicity  to  pray 
men,  in  Christ's  stead,  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  In 
order  to  fulfil  your  ministry,  in  order  to  promote  peace, 
you  must  buy  the  truth,  and  sell  it  not.  You  must  strive 
to  know,  and  not  shun  to  declare,  "  all  the  counsel  of 
God." 

There  are  times  when  no  voice  should  be  silent,  no 
hand  idle  among  the  friends  of  orthodox  principles. 
They  are  bound  by  all  that  is  dear  in  time,  and  all  that 
is  solemn  and  glorious  in  eternity,  at  the  hazard  of  re- 
proach, and  losses,  and  persecutions,  to  "  display  a  ban- 
ner of  truth."  Many  corrupt  the  doctrines  of  the 
gospel  at  the  fountain  head,  and  offer  to  perishing  souls 
a  vain  theory,  and  the  mischiefs  arising  are  greatly  in- 
creased by  a  zeal  and  liberality  "not  according  to 
knowledge."  Some  esteem  the  external  order  of  the 
house  of  God  a  matter  of  no  importance,  and  hence 
are  continually  intruding  into  our  churches  novelty  and 
innovation.     Such  a  state  of  things  with  an  intempe- 


METHODS  OF  PEA.CE. 


21 


rate  pursuit  of  wealth — the  relaxation  of  social  ties — 
the  violence  of  political  ferment — with  the  approach 
of  those  fearful  days  which  are  coming  upon  the  earth, 
must  grieve  the  godly,  ensnare  the  unwary,  stumble 
the  blind,  multiply  the  profane,  and  instead  of  promot- 
ing peace,  spread  discord,  confusion,  and  every  evil 
work.  And,  brethren,  will  any  of  you  hasten  on  this 
work  of  desolation?  Will  any  of  you  slumber  on  till 
the  midnight  cry  awake  you  ?  Awake,  arise,  commence 
this  hour  to  follow  the  things  that  make  for  peace;  and 
who  can  tell  what  an  extent  of  ruin  you  may,  by  the 
blessing  of  God,  avert  from  your  own  souls,  your  fami- 
lies, your  country,  and  from  the  church  of  God?  The 
means  of  success  are  placed  at  your  disposal.  The 
subjects  of  faith  "once  delivered  to  the  saints,"  and 
the  primitive  practice  of  Christians,  call  for  your  unwa- 
vering attention,  not  only  on  account  of  their  intrinsic 
value,  but  because  they  derive  a  new  interest  from  "  the 
signs  of  the  times."  The  precious,  uncorrupted  truth 
of  the  gospel  must  be  maintained,  vindicated,  and  urged 
upon  the  consciences  of  men.  The  ignorant  must  be 
instructed,  the  timid  encouraged,  the  lukewarm  stimu- 
lated, the  unsound  and  incorrigible  cut  ofE_  All  must 
be  taught  to  view,  in  a  juster  light  than  has  been  com- 
mon, the  nature,  value,  and  importance  of  the  Re- 
deemer's institutions,  which  are  placed'  in,  the  church, 
and  must  be  conducted  by  the  church;  for  his  kingdom 
is  not  of  this  world.  All  must  be  put  on  their  guard 
against  the  many  "Antichrists,"  which,  in  various 
shapes,  are  abroad  in  the  world.  They  must  be  cau- 
tioned against  those  "swelling  words  of  vanity"  and 
"fair  speeches^ of  craft,"  by  which  they  are  in  danger 
of  being  led  ia  the  paths  of  delusion.     The  foundation 

2* 


32  ORIGINAL    SERMONS* 

of  saving  truth,  the  comely  order  of  Zion,  the  costly 
privileges  of  the  church  of  God,  vrhich  he  hath  pur- 
chased with  his  own  hlood,  must  be  explored  and  prac- 
ticed, and  possessed,  and  enjoyed.  Men  must  be  taught 
in  meekness  and  wisdom  to  give  a  "reason  of  the  hope 
that  is  in  themselves,"  and  a  reason  for  their  opposition 
to  the  errors  of  others.  They  must  be  led  to  a  better 
knowledge  of  the  holy  scriptures,  and  be  persuaded  to 
resort  to  those  instructers  who  will  "feed  them  with 
knowledge  and  understanding;"  to  exert  themselves 
in  the  use  of  suitable  means  to  procure  a  ministry  of 
able  and  faithful  men,  who  will  "rightly  divide  the 
word  of  truth,"  "taking  heed  unto  themselves  and  to 
the  doctrine,"  that  they  may  both  save  themselves  and 
them  who  hear  them;  and  in  fine,  they  must  consider 
Christian  families  as  the  nurseries  of  the  church  on 
earth,  as  the  church  on  earth  is  the  nursery  of  the 
church  in  heaven;  and  thus  be  brought  to  bring  up 
youth  in  the  "nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord:" 
and  then  we  shall  have  peace ;  then  all  will  speak  the 
same  things,  and  there  will  be  no  divisions  among  you. 
"The  work  of  righteousness  will  be  peace,  and  the 
effect  of  righteousness  quietness  and  assurance  forever." 


SERMON  11. 

BY    THE    KEA".  J.    L.    WII^OX,    D.    D. 

THE  CHARACTER  OF  MAN. 

And  yo'j  bath  he  quickened,  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins;  wherein 
in  time  past  ye  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to- 
the  Prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the 
children  of  disobedience ;  among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  conversation 
in  times  past  in  tlie  lusts  of  the  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and 
of  the  raind ;  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others, 

Epu.  ii.  1,  2,  3. 

The  condition  of  man  is  here  painted,  in  shades  of 
^darkness  ichich  may  be  felt,'"'  The  picture  is  drawn^ 
the  circumstances  dehneated,  bj  the  pencil  of  inspira- 
tion. To  be  by  nature  children  of  u-ro//^, under  the  power 
of  Satan,  habitual  practitioners  in  vice,  slaves  to  sinful 
desires  and  lusts,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  is  a  con- 
dition of  helpless  depravity.  And  this  condition  would 
be  as  hopeless  as  it  is  helpless,  were  it  not  that  there  is 
One,  who  has  life  in  himself,  who  quickens  and  raises 
up  whomsoever  he  will.     John  v.  21,  25. 

Those  whose  condition  is  here  described,  may,  per- 
haps, in  the  pride  and  levity  of  their  hearts,  smile 
at  a  seeming  incongruity  in  our  text.  They  may  ask, 
how  can  the  dead  walk  and  talk,  and  live  in  lusts?  Let 
such  souls  be  once  quickened^  and  their  smile  of  levity 
will  be  changed  into  the  most  solemn  inquiry.  Acts 
ii.  37.  They  will  confess  their  deeds.  Acts  xix.  18, 
They  will  own  themselves  by  nature  children  of  wrath* 
Ps.  Ii.  5.  They  will  feel,  that  a  condition  of  spiritual 
death,  which  is  the  state  of  all  unregenerated  men,  is 
the  very  condition  described  in  our  text — dead  in  tres- 


24  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

passes  and  sins.  Mat.  viii.  2*2,  1  Tim.  v.  G,  1  John  iii. 
14.  Compare  Ephesians  i.  19,  20,  and  ii.  5,  6,  and 
John  V.  24. 

It  is  not  uncommon  for  the  inspired  writers,  in  pre- 
senting several  important  topics,  in  a  single  sentence; 
to  place  that  first,  in  the  order  of  words,  which  is  last, 
in  the  order  of  events;  and  sometimes  that  event, 
which  is  first  in  the  order  of  time,  is  last  in  the  order 
of  description.  Thus,  in  speaking  of  the  power  of 
God,  in  connexion  with  the  gospel,  it  is  said,  "Who 
hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  an  holj  calling,  not 
according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  pur- 
pose and  grace,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus, 
before  the  world  began."  2  Tim.  i.  9.  Here,  the 
purpose  of  God,  in  Christ,  for  the  salvation  of  sinners, 
is  first,  in  God's  plan,  but  last,  in  the  apostle's  descrip- 
tion. So  in  our  text,  the  native  character  of  man,  Jirst 
in  the  order  of  events,  is  placed  last  in  the  order  of 
language. 

Therefore,  in  the  discussion  of  the  subject,  the  fol- 
lowing method  is  proposed: 

I.  The  Native  Character  of  Man.  Bi/  nature 
children  of  wrath. 

II.  The  Practical  Character  of  Man.  Dead  in 
sins,  wherein  ye  walked. 

III.  The  Renewed  Character  of  Man*  You  hath 
he  quickened,  who  were  dead. 

I.  We  are  to  consider  the  native  character-  of  man. 

By  character,  I  mean  personal  qualities,  natural  or 
acquired.  By  native  character,  I  mean,  the  temper 
of  mind,  and  disposition  of  soul,  in  which  we  are  born; 
and  the  natural  inclination  or  tendency  we  have  to  any 
particular  course  of  conduct — qualities  which  precede 


THE  CHARACTER  OF  MAN.  25 

knowledge  and  conscience,  which  are  neither  imita- 
tions nor  the  effects  of  example.  A  native  place  is  the 
place  of  one's  birth.  A  native  body  is  that  substance, 
all  the  members  of  which  were  written  in  God's  book 
and  curiously  fashioned,  before  one  is  brought  into  the 
world.  And  a  native  character  is  the  state,  temper, 
and  disposition  of  mind  in  which  any  one  is  ushered 
into  life  and  brought  upon  the  stage  of  action.  This 
character  is  antecedent  to  any  moral  conduct,  in  view 
of  obligation,  arising  from  the  knowledge  of  any  law, 
human  or  divine.  Some,  with  great  ingenuity,  learn- 
ing, and  labor,  have  attempted  to  show  that  "  by  nature''^ 
means  custom.  But  the  tenor  of  the  scriptures  and  the 
confessions  of  the  pious  incontestably  prove  that  "  by 
nature''  signifies  those  innate  propensities  from  which  our 
evil  customs  or  practices  flow,  as  feculent  streams  from 
a  corrupt  fountain.  The  difference  between  nature  and 
practice  lays  the  foundation  for  the  twofold  definition  of 
sin — "  Sin  is  any  want  of  conformity  unto  the  law  of 
God,  or  any  transgression  of  the  law  of  God."  To 
come  short  of  the  glory  of  God,  that  is,  to  be  unholy,  is 
sin  (Rom.  iii.  23)  just  as  much  as  any  actual  transgres- 
sion.    1  John  iii.  4. 

To  be  born  under  the  guilt  of  Adam's  first  sin,  en- 
tirely destitute  of  that  righteousness  in  which  man  was 
created;  with  a  nature  so  corrupted  as  to  be  "utterly 
indisposed,  disabled,  and  made  opposite  unto  all  that  is 
spiritually  good,  and  wholly  inclined  to  all  evil,  and 
that  continually,"  is  a  miniature  picture  of  the  native 
character  of  man.  This  is  '^  original  sin.  From  this  do 
proceed  all  actual  trangressions."  Larger  Catechism, 
Ques.  22,  23,  24,  25,  26,  and  scripture  proofs  there. 

It  is  asserted  by  some  that  a  nature  cannot  be  holy  or 


S6  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

unholy.^  But  this  is  assertion  without  proof.  What  is 
a  nature?  A  nature  consists  in  the  essential  properties 
of  any  existence  which  constitute  it  what  it  is;  which 
discriminate  and  distinguish  that  sort  or  species  from 
all  others.  The  logical  definition  of  a  nature  is  not 
different  from  that  of  a  substance.  It  is  that  which  con- 
stitutes a  thing  or  being  what  it  is;  and  makes  it  differ 
from  another  thing  or  being.  Bread  and  a  stone  are 
of  different  natures,  and  hence  their  different  uses.  A 
dove  and  a  vulture  are  of  different  natures:  hence  their 
different  propensities  and  customs.  The  same  may  be 
said  of  the  lamb  and  the  lion,  of  a  man  and  an  angel. 

When  God  created  man  ''ifprighf  and  formed  him  in 
his  "  own  image,"  one  part  of  that  image  is  particularly 
specified  to  be  "true  holiness."     Eph.  iv.  24,  and  Lar. 
Cat.  Ques.  17.     Holiness  is  not  a  single  perfection  of 
God,  as  wisdom,  power,  goodness,  justice,  and  truth 
are  single  perfections;  but  holiness  is  essential  to  God's 
nature,  and  pervades  alibis  perfections;  hence  Jehovah 
is  "glorious  in  holiness."     But  all  created  riatures  may 
change    or   be    changed.     God    alone    is   immutable. 
None  but  God  can  say,  "I  am  Jehovah;  I  change  not." 
Water  can  be  changed  into  wine.     A  stone  can  be 
ma^e  bread.     But  the  wine  would  not  remain  water, 
nor  the  bread  continue  a  stone.     These  changes,  in  the 
nature  of  things,  if  they  take  place,  are  produced  by    j 
the  direct  agency  and  power  of  God.     But  when  a    j 
holy  angel  changes  into  a  devil,  or  a  holy  man  into  a    i 
sinner,  the  change  from  a  holi/  to  a  sinful  nature  is  pro- 
duced  by  the    departure    of  the    creature    from   the     i 
creator  when  left  to  himself,  that  is,  when  left  to  the 
freedom  of  his  own  will. 

*  Dr.  Bcecher  and  Mr.  Finney^ 


THE  CHARACTER   OF  MAN.  27 

That  the  native  character  of  man  is  what  I  have 
stated,  can  he  proven, 

1.  From  a  scriptural  inquiry.  "Who  can  hring  a 
clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean?  Not  one."  Joh  xiv. 
4.  "  This  inquiry  forms  a  decisive  testimony  that  Job 
believed  in  the  doctrine  of  original  sin,^^  When  Eli- 
phaz  reproved  Job  for  supposed  impiety,  he  never  dis- 
puted the  correctness  of  his  views  on  this  subject,  but 
consented  to  the  doctrine  in  its  full  extent,  by  asking  a 
similar  question,  "what  is  man,  that  he  should  be 
clean?  And  he  which  is  born  of  a  woman,  that  he 
should  be  righteous?"  Job  xv.  14.  Bildad,  who  also 
disputed  with  Job,  did  not  contradict  him  on  this  point, 
but  asked  in  his  turn,  "how  can  man  be  justified  with 
God  ?  or  how  can  he  be  clean  that  is  born  of  a  woman  ?" 
Job  XXV.  4. 

There  can  be  no  propriety  in  these  questions,  no 
truth  in  the  doctrine  they  imply,  if  it  were  true,  as 
some  now  affirm,  that  "the  nature  of  man  is  neither 
holynoT  unholy^''  that  ^'ihejirst  sin  in  every  man  could 
be  prevented  by  himself;"  that  "there  is  no  sin  but 
what  is  ro/u7ifan/."  These  moderns  in  theology  have 
become  wiser  than  the  ancients! ! ! 

2.  That  the  native  character  of  man  is  as  has  been 
stated,  is  proven  from  one  single  exception  to  this  gene- 
ral doctrine  of  original  sin,  God  manifest  in  flesh 
forms  this  exception.  It  is  affirmed  that  he  was  "  born 
of  a  woman;"  that  he  was  "holy  and  undefiled;"  that 
he  took  on  him  man's  nature,  with  all  the  essential  pro- 
perties and  innocent  infirmities  thereof,  yet  without 
sin."  Con.  Faith,  chap.  viii.  sec.  2,  and  proof  texts 
there.  And  to  put  a  seal  upon  the  lips  of  some  modern 
theorists,  and  prevent  them  from  saying,  "  O  very  true, 


28  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

the  Son  of  God  was  holy,  in  all  his  voluntary  exercises; 
but  his  nature^  like  all  other  natures^  was  neither  holy  nor 
unholy f  the  celestial  messenger  said  to  Mary,  "the 
Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the 
Highest  shall  overshadow  thee ;  therefore  also  that  holy 
thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the  Son 
of  God."  Luke  i.  35.  It  was  not  said  that  things  which 
is  neither  holy  nor  unholy,  shall  be  born  of  thee,  and 
become  holy  by  voluntary  moral  exercises;  but  that  holy 
THING  which  shall  he  horn  of  thee  shall  be  called  the  Son 
of  God.  That  holy  thing  was  no  doubt  a  nature.  We 
know  it  was  not "  the  nature  of  angels."  It  was  the  "  Word 
made  flesh;"  and  by  the  power  of  the  Highest  brought 
into  the  world  holy.  This  single  and  only  exception 
forms  a  most  conclusive  argument  in  support  of  the 
doctrine  of  original  sin,  as  it  is  stated  in  the  standards 
of  our  church. 

3.  The  native  character  of  man  is  proven  to  be  as 
above  stated,  by  the  doctrine  of  the  new  birth.  If  the 
nature  of  man  was  not  depraved,  if  sin  consisted  only  in 
a  series  of  wrong  volitions  and  practices,  in  view  of 
known  rules  of  duty;  if,  "to  say  of  an  accountable  crea- 
ture, that  he  is  depraved  by  nature,  is  only  to  say,  that, 
rendered  capable  by  his  Maker  of  obedience,  he  diso- 
beys from  the  commencement  of  his  accountability;"* 
then  there  is  indeed  great  need  of  reformation,  but  no 
need  of  regeneration.  To  talk  of  being  "  born  of  God," 
"born  of  the  Spirit,"  "created  anew,"  "transformed 
into  the  image  of  God,"  is  very  consistent  with  the 
doctrine  of  a  depraved  nature,  and  the  necessity  of  a 
radical  change,  produced  by  supernatural  agency;  but 

*  Dr.  Beecher. 


THE  CHARACTER  OF   MAX. 


29 


all  this  is  supremely  absurd,  if  nothing  is  wrong  but  a 
misdirection  of  our  "capabihties."  All  that  is  to  be 
done  in  that  case,  is  to  induce  the  sinner  to  change  his 
"governing  purpose,''  and  thus  "make  himself  a  new 
heart.-^'^  A.nd  this  he  can  do,  for  he  "is  rendered  capa- 
ble by  his  Maker  of  obedience,"  and  "abihty  to  obey 
is  indispensable  to  moral  obligation ;"*t  and  he  "has 
more  power  to  love  God  than  hate  him;"J  and  there- 
fore it  is  highly  absurd  to  pray  that  "  God  would  enable 
sinners  to  repent  and  believe. "§  It  may  fairly  be  pre- 
sumed that  nothing  could  have  induced  so  many  learned 
writers  since  the  days  of  Pelagius  to  cherish  such  un- 
scriptural  opinions,  but  a  strong  desire  to  avoid  the 
docirine  of  original:  sin,  and  the  doctrine  of  regenera- 
tion by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost — two  doctrines  so 
peculiarly  offensive  to  the  pride  of  the  human  heart. 

4.  The  sanctification  of  Jeremiah  and  John  befoi'e 
they  were  born,  proves  the  native  character  of  man  to 
be  as  above  described.  Jer.  i.  4,  and  Luke  i.  15. 
AYhat  was  the  matter  with  them?  These  children,  like 
Esau  and  Jacob,  "were  not  yet  born,  neither  had  done 
Tood  or  evil.''  Rom.  ix.  11.  The  period  of  their  ac- 
countability had  not  yet  arrived;  but  God  sanctified 
them,  and  kept  them  alive,  and  kept  them  from  sin,  and 
kept  them  for  singular  usefulness.  They  were  not, 
like  the  Son  of  God,  without  sin ;  but  they  were  sancti- 
fied before  they  were  born,  and  through  life  furnished 
an  evidence  of  supernatural  grace,  by  their  unfeigned 
obedience. 

God  thus  demonstrated  that  infants  need  regenerar 
tion;  that   the  Holy   Spirit  can   operate  upon   them 

^  Finne3%  f  Dr.  Beecher.         %  Rev.  F.  A.  Ross. 

§  Dr.  Skinner  ajid  Rev.  E.  Beecher. 

3 


30 


ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 


directly,  without  the  use  of  means;  and  that  if  he  did 
save  two,  in  this  way,  who  lived  long  in  his  service 
here  on  earth,  he  can  save  thousands,  in  the  same  way, 
on  whom  "  death  passed"  before  they  committed  actual 
transgression.  Multitudes  of  infants  have  been  sub- 
jected to  death,  who  had  never  broken  any  law  "after 
the  similitude  of  Adam's  transgression ;"  that  is,  know- 
ingly, wilfully,  and  dehberately.  But  God,  who  is  rich 
in  mercy,  has  given  us  a  comfortable  hope,  that  "As 
infants  die  in  Adam  without  their  own  personal  trans- 
gression, so  they  will  be  saved  in  Christ  without  their 
own  personal  exercise  of  faith  in  him;  yet  they  must 
be  regenerated  by  the  Holy  Spirit."^  But  if  their 
natures  were  neither  holy  nor  unholy^  they  could  not  be 
fit  for  heaven  nor  hell. 

If  they  were  not  lost,  by  the  sin  of  the  first  Adam, 
they  cannot  be  saved  by  the  righteousness  of  the 
SECOND.  If  they  did  not  fall  by  the  breach  of  the 
covenant  of  works,  they  cannot  be  raised  by  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  covenant  of  grace. 

But  those  who  deny  original  sin,  imputed  and  con- 
veyed,! must  deny  also  imputed  righteousness,!  in  order 
to  appear  consistent.  Hence  it  is  manifest  that  they 
form  a  system  different  from  that  which  is  adopted  by 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  preach  another  gospel. 

5.  The  native  character  of  man,  as  above  stated,  is 
proven  by  the  confession  of  David  and  the  declarations 
of  Christ. 

David  not  only  acknowledged  his  transgressions,  but 

his  sin  was  ever  before  him.     He  as  bitterly  lamented 

"Jf^hat  he  was  conceived  in  sin  and  shapen  in  iniquity  as 

that  he  had  sinned  and  done  evil  against  heaven  and 

♦  Con.  F.  ch.  X  sec.  3.    t  lb.  ch.  vi.  sec.  3.     X  lb.  ch.  xi.  sec.  1. 


THE  CHARACTER  OF   MAN. 


31 


in  the  sight  of  God.  Ps.  H.  3 — 5.  How  different  was 
this  from  the  language  of  those  who  declare  "they 
never  repented  nor  will  they  ever  repent  for  original 
sin.*-  What  says  our  Lord?  "A  good  tree  cannot 
bring  forth  evil  fruit,  neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring 
forth  good  fruit."  It  is  perfectly  fair  to  determine  the 
nature  of  the  tree  by  the  fruit  that  it  bears.  Change 
the  nature  of  the  tree,  and  you  change  the  fruit.  If  a 
good  tree  cannot  produce  evil  fruit,  and  if  a  corrupt  tree 
cannot  bring  forth  good  fruit,  does  it  not  follow  that  the 
fruit  of  a  tree  neither  good  nor  corrupt  will  be  like  the 
tree  itself,  neither  good  nor  evil  ?  Has  this  been  the 
case  with  the  fruits  produced  by  the  human  race? 
Have  their  fruits  been  so  harmless  and  useless  as  to 
prove  that  the  nature  of  the  tree  was  neither  holy  nor 
unholy?  Have  not  all  actual  transgressions  demon- 
strated the  original  corruption  of  our  whole  nature?* 
Let  universal  experience,  observation,  and  the  word  of 
God  answer  the  question. 

Having  seen  clearly,  in  the  scriptures  of  truth,  in  the 
conduct  of  all  unregenerate  men.  in  the  peculiar  purity 
of  the  son  of  God,  in  the  sanctitication  of  children 
before  they  were  bom,  in  the  confessions  of  Job,  Eli- 
phaz,  Bildad  and  David,  in  the  illustration  given  by 
Christ,  and  in  the  words  of  our  text,  that  original  sin 
is  the  source  of  all  actual  sin;  I  must  ask  your  atten- 
tion to  the  next  topic  of  discourse,  viz: 

II.  The  Practical  Character  of  Max — Dead  in 
sifis,  wherein  ye  walked, 

A  dead  body  is  incapable  of  the  pursuits  of  hfe. 
Those  objects  which  engross  the  attention  of  the  living 
are  in  vain  presented  to  attract  the  notice  of  the  dead. 

*  Con.  Faith  ch.  vi.  sec.  4. 


32 


ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 


The  senseless  corpse,  left  to  itself,  possesses  one  uniform 
tendency  to  decay.  This  tendency  increases  as  decay 
advances,  with  a  rapidity  equal  to  the  increased  velo- 
city of  a  globe  in  motion  on  an  inclined  plane.  But 
let  this  body  be  embalmed,  and  decay  is  retarded.  Let 
the  same  body  be  animated,  and  it  is  sensitive.  Let  it 
be  restored  to  health,  and  it  performs  immediately  the 
ordinary  functions  of  life.  Light  and  darkness,  beauty 
and  deformity,  pleasure  and  pain,  rest  and  toil,  safety 
and  danger,  are  all  perceived  and  felt,  and  all  produce 
their  appropriate  effects.  Thus  it  is  with  sinful  man. 
While  dead  in  sins,  he  is  incapable  of  the  pursuits  and 
pleasures  of  the  godly.  He  has  eyes,  but  sees  not;  ears, 
but  hears  not;  a  heart,  but  understands  not.  The  light 
shines,  but  the  darkness  comprehendeth  it  not.  The 
deformity  of  sin  and  beauty  of  holiness  are  alike  un- 
perceived  by  him.  The  pains  of  the  second  death 
and  the  pleasures  of  eternal  life  are  alike  unfelt  and 
unheededc  The  natural  and  habitual  tendency  of  the 
sinner  is  downward  to  perdition.  The  rolling  ball 
descends  the  declivity  with  no  more  rapidity  towards 
fie  abyss,  than  the  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins"  preci- 
pitate to  ruin.  In  a  thousand  ways  he  is  checked  and 
hindered,  and  almost  stopped  in  his  progress  to  ruin, 
like  the  embalmed  body;  but  never,  never  does  he  per- 
form the  operations  of  spiritual  life  until  "  quickened 
together  with  Christ,  by  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy." 
Eph.  ii.  4,  5,  6. 

Nevertheless,  it  is  evident  from  our  text,  and  from 
all  experience,  that  men,  dead,  being  under  sentence 
of  death — dead,  being  exposed  to  eternal  death — dead, 
being  as  incapable  of  performing  the  operations  of 
spiritual  life  as  a  corpse  is  of  animal  actions — men,  dead 


THE  CHARACTER  OF   MAN.  33 

in  S171S,  can  "walk  according  to  the  course  of  this 
world :"  can  act  under  the  influence  of  "  the  spirit  that 
worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience;"  can  "have 
their  conversation  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh;"  can  be  en- 
gaged in  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  carnal  mind.  "  To 
be  carnally  minded  is  death." 

The  indubitable  evidence  of  this  death  is  insensi- 
bility TO  ETERNAL  THINGS.  To  producc  iustauccs  for 
proof  and  illustration,  we  need  not  select,  from  a  world 
in  wickedness,  the  most  rare  specimens  of  vice.  We 
need  not  suppose  wealth  obtained  by  injustice,  power 
maintained  by  oppression,  eloquence  employed  in  se- 
duction, treachery  concealed  under  the  mantle  of  piety? 
or  malice  ending  in  murder.  We  only  have  to  exhibit 
souls  drawn  away  from  God  by  the  enticements  of  the 
world.  Let  us  select,  as  one  example,  the  man  of 
business. 

Business,  as  opposed  to  idleness,  assumes  an  honorable 
appearance.     The  man  of  business,  contrasted  with  the 
man  of  dissipation,  feels  the  dignity  of  his  own  pursuits, 
and  exults  in  a  fair  and  natural  consciousness  of  compa- 
rative merit.      The  sober  air  of  business  resembles  the 
garb  of  sanctity.    Diligence,  industry,  saving  of  time, 
order,  patience,  self-denial,  all  necessary  to  success  in 
business,  are  the  very  habits  of  morality.    But  habits  of 
morality,  without  the  true  principles  of  piety,  are  like  the 
body  without  the  spirit— f/ear/.     The  man  of  the  world, 
engrossed  in  business,  forgets  God,forgets  eternal  things, 
neglects   the   "great   salvation,"  heaps   up    riches    to 
indulge  his  lusts,  and  labors  for  heirs  who  are,  too  fre- 
quently, ruined  by  their  inheritance.    The  uncertainty 
of  human  hfe  leads  him  to  be  exact  in  his  contracts  and 
regular  in  his  accounts,  and  to  risk  nothing  but  his 
own  soul,  on  the  precarious  tenure  of  earthly  existence. 


34  ORIGir^AL  SERMONS. 

Under  the  spirit  of  the  world,  his  time,  talents,  and 
affections  arc  all  absorbed  by  earthly  things,  and  his 
chief  happiness  consists  in  expectations  of  greater 
wealth.  All  this  industry,  sobriety,  punctuality,  and 
economy  exhibit  a  fearful  example  of  that  insensibility 
to  eternal  things,  which  places  the  man  of  business 
among  the  "dead  in  trespasses  and  sins."  How  does 
this  man  spend  the  Lord's  da^s — the  holy  Sabbaths  ? 
Unless  he  engage  in  his  usual  pursuits  of  life,  or  seek 
relief  by  company  and  amusements,  are  they  not  days 
of  dulness  to  his  soul  and  sluggishness  to  his  body? 
Are  not  the  ministry  of  reconciliation  and  the  means  of 
eternal  life  "dull  decencies"  and  "shadowy  forms"  to 
him?  I^ook  at  him  in  the  house  of  God;  for  he  some- 
times there  appears;  can  you  believe  him  the  same 
man  whom  yesterday  you  saw  on  his  farm,  in  his  shop, 
or  behind  the  counter?  His  whole  soul  was  then 
awake,  his  energies  were  vigorously  employed,  his 
capacities  had  objects,  worthy,  in  his  esteem,  of  their 
highest  efforts.  Yesterday  he  breathed  his  native  air, 
beheld  "the  brilliant  images  of  earth's  gay  glory"  play 
before  his  vivid  imagination;  and  heart  and  soul,  and 
mind  and  strength  were  passionate  devotees  at  the 
shrine  of  Mammon.  To-day  he  slumbers.  It  is  the 
Lord's  day.  The  Bible,  to  him,  is  cheerless  as  the 
desert;  the  Saviour,  a  root  out  of  dry  ground;  the 
sermon,  a  glass  before  the  face  of  a  natural  man; 
he  goeth  away,  and  "straightway  forgetteth  what 
manner  of  man  he  was."  The  doctrines  of  origi- 
nal sin,  actual  transgression,  the  incarnation  of  God's 
eternal  son,  the  one  sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ  for  our 
reconciliation  to  God,  the  resurrection  for  our  justifica- 
tion, the  ascension  and  exaltation  of  our  great  high 
priest,  for  our  encouragement;  the  renewing,  sanctify- 


THE  CHARACTER  OF   MAN.  35 

ing,  and  consoling  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  our 
salvation;  the  faith,  repentance,  humility,  and  holiness 
required  by  the  gospel,  as  evidences  of  our  being 
fruitful  branches  united  to  the  true  vine;  the  rewards  of 
the  righteous,  and  eternal  damnation  of  the  wicked, 
are  unintelligible  mysteries,  to  the  worldly  man,  whose 
heart  is  choked  with  the  cares  of  avarice,  the  deceitful- 
ness  of  riches  and  the  lust  of  other  things;  he  is  "dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins." 

Take  another  example.  The  man  of  pleasure. .  The 
scriptures  declare  that  "she  who  liveth  in  pleasure,  is 
dead  while  she  liveth."  This  is  as  true  of  men  as  of 
women.  Pursuits  of  carnal  gratification  are  as  destruc- 
tive of  the  principles  as  they  are  opposed  to  the  spirit 
of  piety.  A  round  of  fashionable  entertainments,  how- 
ever harmless  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  clearly  demon- 
strate an  insensibilily  to  eternal  things.  Alienated  from 
God,  disgusted  with  holiness,  unfitted  for  heaven,  life  is 
spent  "  after  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the 
spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience, 
among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  conversation,  in  times 
past,  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh."  "  Lovers  of  pleasure 
more  than  lovers  of  God"  are  classed  in  the  blackest 
list  of  offenders,  to  whom  God  says,  "Ye  have  lived  in 
pleasure  on  the  earth,  and  been  wanton;  ye  have  nou- 
rished your  hearts  as  in  the  day  of  slaughter;"  yet 
these  are  so  dead  in  sins,  so  insensible  to  the  doom  that 
awaits  the  hypocrite,  "  when  God  shall  take  away  his 
soul,"  that  not  a  few  assume  a  ''form  of  godliness,"  but 
deny  "  the  power,'''' 

The  man  of  business  deludes  himself  by  a  compari- 
son with  the  man  of  pleasure.  The  comparison  is,  in 
some  respects,  just;  but  the  inference  is  erroneous. 


3b  original  sermons. 

One  has  a  lawful  calling;  the  other  pursues  forhiddeti 
objects.  One  is  industrious;  the  other  worse  than  idle. 
One  is  frugal;  the  other  prodigal.  One  is  sober;  the 
Other,  a  reveller.  Thus  they  differ.  Yet  they  are 
Rlike.  Both  walk  after  the  course  of  this  world.  Both 
fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind.  Both  neg- 
lect the  "great  salvation."  Both  are  void  of  the  spirit 
of  Christ.  Thus  they  are  alike.  And  yet  they  differ. 
The  man  of  pleasure  can  hardly  believe  himself  right; 
the  man  of  business  can  scarcely  think  himself  wrong. 
The  man  of  pleasure  hurries  on,  without  calculation,  as 
appetite  leads  or  passion  propels;  the  man  of  business 
makes  due  calculation  for  every  thing  but  heaven,  and 
tlius  shows  himself  insensible  to  the  gain  or  loss  of  his 
immortal  soul. 

The  prophet  Ezekiel  once  saw  "  the  whole  house  of 
Israel,"  as  a  valley  of  dry  bones.  They  were  very 
many  and  very  dry.  No  "human  ability"  to  unite 
bone  to  bone,  and  make  themselves  stand  up.  No 
"self-determining  power"  to  cover  their  ghastly  skele- 
tons, with  all  the  wonderful,  commingled  organizations, 
essential  to  human  forms.  No  "governing  purpose,"  to 
bring  the  "breath  of  life"  into  their  own  dead  carcasses. 
Decid  they  were,  and  dead  they  must  ever  remain, 
unless  the  life-giving  God  quicken  them.  A  just  em- 
blem of  our  whole  race,  in  their  native  and  practical 
characters.  The  whole  house  of  Israel  was  made  up 
of  individuals  who  were  living,  and  walking,  and  talk- 
ing after  the  course  of  this  world;  but  dead  while  they 
lived;  insensible  to  their  present  condition,  indifferent 
to  the  possession  and  enjoyment  of  spiritual  and  eternal 
life.  Can  they  live?  Lord  thou  knowest.  What 
must  be  done?  Say,  "O  ye  dry  bones,  hear  the  word 
of  the  Lord."     "For  this  cause  was  the  gospel  preached 


THE  CHARACTER  OF  MAN.  37 

to  them  that  were  dead^  that  they  might  be  judged 
according  to  men  in  the  flesh,  hut  live  according  to 
God  in  the  spirit."    1  Pet.  iv.  6.    I  shall  now  consider, 

III.  The  Renewed  Character  of  Man.  You  hath 
he  quickened^  zvho  were  dead  in  sins  wherein  ye  walked, 

"When  Ezekiel,  as  he  was  commanded,  prophesied  to 
the  dry  bones,  there  was  a  noise  and  a  shaking,  "bone 
came  to  his  bone."  And  "lo,  sinews  and  flesh  came 
upon  them  and  skin  covered  them."  When  he  prophe- 
sied to  the  wind,  as  he  was  commanded,  "breath  came 
into  them;  and  they  lived,  and  stood  up  upon  their  feet^ 
an  exceeding  great  army." 

Thus  it  is  when  the  gospel  is  preached  according  to 
the  command  of  its  divine  author.  "God,  who  is  rich 
in  mercy,  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us, 
hath  quickened  us  when  we  were  dead  in  sins."  Thus 
there  is  formed  by  the  power  of  God  a  7iezD  character  in 
man.  In  the  language  of  the  word  of  God,  the  man  is 
a.  "new  creatureJ'''  "If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a 
new  creature:  old  things  are  passed  away;  behold,  all 
things  are  become  new."     2  Cor.  v.  17. 

The  power  to  create  belongs  to  God  alone.  The 
adoring  intelligences  cast  their  crowns  before  the 
throne  of  Hi3i  "who  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,"  saying, 
"Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  honor, 
and  power;  for  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy 
pleasure  they  are  and  were  created."     Rev.  iv.  11. 

1.  To  create  is  to  bring  into  being  or  existence  some- 
thing that  before  had  no  existence.  "In  the  begin- 
ning God  created  t\ie  heaven  and  the  earth."    Gen.  i.  1. 

2.  To  create  is  to  change  the  form,  or  state,  or  situar 
tion  of  matter,  which  cannot  change  itself,  and  requires 
as  great  power  as  to  make  it  exist  at  first.     "And  God 


88 


ORIGINAL  SERMONS* 


created  great  whales,  which  the  waters  brought  forth 
abundantly,  &c.  Gen.  i.  21.  "God  created  man — and 
tlie  Lord  God  formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground." 
Gen.  i.  27.  Compare  ii.  7.  "And  the  rib,  which  the 
Lord  God  had  taken  from  man,  made  he  a  woman." 
Genesis  ii.  22. 

3.  To  create  means  also  to  bring  about  the  miraculous 
conception,  and  produce  the  mysterious  person,  of  God 
manifested  in  flesh.  "The  Lord  hath  c^^eated  a  new 
thing  in  the  earth,  a  woman  shall  compass  a  man!" 
Jeremiah  xxxi.  22. 

4.  To  create  is  to  give  and  work  saving  grace  in  the 
ruined  children  of  the  first  Adam,  in  whom  they  died^ 
by  uniting  them  to  Christ,  the  second  Adam,  in  whom 

all  true  believers  live.     "  God when  we'"' — (Paul 

and  other  true  Christians) — "when  we  were  dead  in 
sins^  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ."  "  For 
we  are  his  workmanship^  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto 
good  works."     Eph.  ii.  4,  5,  10. 

5.  To  create  is  to  cleanse  the  heart  of  a  servant  of 
God  from  remaining  corruption,  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  "  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  and  renew 
a  right  spirit  within  me.  Take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit 
from  me.     Ps.  1.  10,  11. 

I  know  of  no  sixth  definition  to  the  word  create. 
All  these  prove  that  to  create  is  the  prerogative  of 
God.  The  fourth  and  fifth  definitions  apply  to  the 
subject  before  us,  and  suggest  to  our  minds  the  follow- 
ing facts. 

1.  The  renewed  character  of  man  evinces  a  great 
change.  Men  sometimes  undergo  political,  commer^ 
cial,  physical,  and  mental  changes  which  are  remarkr 
eible   and  very   great.     Joseph   passed  very   rapidly 


THE  CHARACTER   OF  MAN.  39 

from  the  dungeon  to  the  palace;  Job,  from  a  state  of 
great  affluence  to  a  condition  of  poverty;  Lazarus, 
from  being  a  putrid  corpse,  was  instantly  restored  to 
life  and  health;  and  Legion,  in  a  moment,  sat  down  at 
the  feet  of  Christ,  clothed  and  in  his  right  mind* 
These  changes,  whatever  might  have  been  the  second 
causes,  or  whatever  might  have  been  the  passive  or 
active  condition  of  those  who  passed  through  them,  are 
ascribed  to  the  power  of  God,  but  not  called  creations. 
They  are  changes  wrought  in  the  conditions  of  meny 
all  of  which  might  be  accomplished  without  the  crea- 
tion of  a  new  hearty  without  the  production  of  a  7iew 
character.  If  Joseph,  Job,  Lazarus,  and  Legion  were 
among  the  people  which  the  Lord  hath  '''created  for  his 
praise,"  ''•created  for  his  glory,"  then  they  had  under- 
gone a  change  of  character  distinct  from  and  far  supe- 
rior to  the  changes  above  specified.  Psalm  cii.  18» 
Compare  Isa.  xliii.  6,  7. 

2.  The  renewed  character  of  man  is  produced  by  the 
immediate  power  of  God.  Those  who  are  created 
anew  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  receive  Christ, 
believe  on  his  name,  and  walk  in  him.  These  are 
voluntary  exercises,  which  exhibit  a  new  character; 
but  what  took  place  before  these  exercises?  The 
persons  "were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will 
of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God." 
John  i.  12,  13. 

A^ot  of  blood.  Not  by  descent  from  pious  parents; 
for  sin,  not  holiness,  is  conveyed  by  ordinary  genera- 
tion; not  by  the  typical  sacrifices,  for  the  blood  of 
slain  beasts  could  not  purge  the  conscience  from  dead 
works  to  serve  the  living  God;  not  by  the  blood  of  the 
cross,  for  that  was  shed  to  reconcile  things  in  heaven 


40 


ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 


and  things  on  earth,  and  not  to  change   the  hearts 
of  either  party. 

JVor  of  the  will  of  the  fesh.     Not  born  by  the  "  go- 
verning  purpose"    of  the    whole    corrupt    nature    oi 
man.     "For  when  we  were  in  the  fesh^ —  a  conditions 
of  native  character, — "  the  motions  of  sins,  which  were  byj 
the  law,  did  work  in  our  members,"  not  to  regenerate] 
us,  but  "to  bring  forth  fruit  unto  death."     For  "they 
that  are  in  the  Jiesh^''  "  cannot  please  God."     Romans 
vii.  5,  viii.  8, 13. 

JVor  of  the  will  of  man,  "A  natural  man,  being 
altogether  averse  from  that  which  is  good,  and  dead  in 
sin,  has  no  will  to  any  spiritual  good,  accompanying 
salvation,  and  no  strength  to  convert  himself,  nor  pre- 
pare himself  for  conversion,  but  on  the  contrary 
chooses  evil  continually.  The  natural  man  receiveth 
not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God;  neither  can  he 
know  them."  "No  man  can  come  to  me  (Christ) 
except  the  Father  who  hath  sent  me  draw  him."  John 
vi.  44,  1  Cor.  ii.  14,  Con.  F.  ch.  ix.  sec.  3. 

But  were  horn  of  God,  Whatever  be  the  means 
and  subordinate  agents  employed,  God  is  the  imme- 
diate and  only  efficient  agent.  "That  which  is  born 
of  the  spirit  is  spirit."  "And  you,  being  dead  in  your 
sins  and  the  uncircumcision  of  your  flesh,"  (an  unre- 
newed heart,)  "  hath  he  quickened  together  with  him," 
(Christ,)  "having  forgiven  you  all  trespasses."  "Not 
by  works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but 
according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  washing  of 
regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  that 
being  justified  by  his  grace,  we  should  be  made  heirs 
according  to  "  the  hope  of  eternal  life."  John  iii.  6^ 
Col.  iii.  13,  Tit.  iii.  5,  7,  Con.  F.  ch.  x.  sect  1?  2. 


THE  CHARACTER   OF  MAN.  41 

3.  The  renewed  character  of  man  is  the  evidence  of 
a  mysterious  change.  "The  wind  hloweth  where  it 
listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst 
not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  and  whither  it  goeth;  so  is 
every  one  that  is  born  of  the  spirit."  John  iii.  8. 
-  Those  who  discard  mystery  in  religion  must  reject 
the  Bible ;  those  who  discard  mystery  in  nature  must 
reject  the  book  of  creation;  those  who  discard  mystery 
in  theology  must  reject  God.  "  Who  by  searching  can 
find  out  God?  Who  can  know  the  Almighty  to 
perfection  ?" 

4.  The  renewed  character  of  man  is  inseparable  from 
good  motives  and  right  volitions.  "  Thy  people  shall 
be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power,  in  the  beauties  of 
holiness."  Ps.  ex.  3.  "I  delight  in  the  law  cf  God, 
after  the  inward  man."  Rom.  vii.  22.  "I  was  not 
disobedient  unto  the  heavenly  vision."  Acts  xxvi.  19. 
*'To  will  is  present  with  me."  They  who  are  in 
Christ  Jesus  "walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the 
spirit."  "It  is  God  that  worketh  in  you  both  to  will 
and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure."  Yet  by  reason  of 
remaining  corruption,  the  will  is  not  made  immutably 
free  to  good  alone  till  the  saint  shall  arrive  in  a  state  of 
glory.     Con.  F.  ch.  ix.  sec.  4,  5,  and  proofs  there. 

5.  The  renewed  character  of  man  is  formed  after  the 
most  perfect  model,  agreeably  to  an  eternal  purpose, 
and  for  the  brightest  illustration  of  God's  glory. 

At  first  man  was  created  in  the  image  of  God.  By 
«in  that  image  was  lost.  In  the  renewed  character  that 
image  is  restored.  "Ye  put  off  concerning  the  former 
conversation  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according 
to  the  deceitful  lusts;  and  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of 
your  mind;  and  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God 

4 


42  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

IS  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness;  which  is 
renewed  in  knowledge  after  the  image  of  him  that 
created  him."     Eph.  iv.  24,  and  Col.  iii.  10. 

The  formation  of  this  new  character  was  decided 
in  the  election  of  grace.  "  Whom  he  did  foreknow  he 
also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of 
his  son."  This  is  the  best  model.  Rom.  viii.  28. 
"Elect,  according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the 
Father,  through  sanctification  of  the  spirit,  unto  obe- 
dience and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ." 
i  Pet.  i.  2.  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  chosen  us  in  him,  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  hol^  and 
without  blame  before  him  in  love;  having  predestinated 
us  unto  the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to 
himself,  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will,  to 
the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace;  being  predesti- 
nated according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who  worketh  all 
things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will."    Eph.  i.  3 — 12. 

The  formation  of  this  7iew  character  is  begun  in  rege- 
neration. "The  first  man  is  of  the  earth,  earthy; 
the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven.  As  we  have 
borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also  bear  the 
image  of  the  heavenly."  1  Cor.  xv.  47,  48.  "  We  all 
with  open  face  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  are  changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to 
glory,  as  by  the  spirit  of  the  Lord.  For  God,  who  com- 
manded the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined 
in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ."  2  Corin- 
thians iii.  18  and  iv.  6. 

The  formation  of  this  nerv  character  is  carried  on  by 
the  power  of  God  in  the  perseverance  of  the  saints. 


THE  CHARACTER    OF  MAX. 


43 


"'Being  confident  of  this  very  thing,  that  he  that  hath 
begun  a  good  work  in  you  will  perform  it  until  the  day 
of  Jesus  Christ."  Phil.  i.  6.  "  If  when  -^e  were  ene- 
mies, we  were  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his 
Son;  much  more,  being  reconciled,  we  shall  be  saved 
by  his  life.-^  Rom.  v.  10.  "  Because  I  live  ye  shall  live 
also."'  John  xiv.  19.  "Kept  by  the  power  of  God, 
through  faith  unto  salvation,  ready  to  be  revealed  in  the 
last  time."     1  Pet.  i.  5. 

The  formation  of  this  new  cliaracicr  was  intended 
by  Christ  when  he  gave  his  life  a  ransom  for  many. 
Mat.  XX.  28.  "  Who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might 
redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a 
peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works."  Tit.  ii.  14. 
"  Christ  loved  the  church  and  gave  himself  for  it,  that 
he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it;  that  he  might  present 
it  to  himself  a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot  or  wrin- 
kle, or  any  such  thing;  but  that  it  should  be  holy  and 
without  blemish.''  Eph.  v.  25 — 27.  "Lo,  I  come  to 
do  thy  icill,  O  God;"  "by  the  which  217"// we  are  sancti- 
tied  by  the  oflfering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  oncc,^^ 
"For  by  one  offering  he  hath  perfected  forever  them 
that  are  sanctified."  "Wherefore  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a 
witness  to  us."  "  Their  sins  and  iniquities  will  I  remem- 
ber no  more."  "  Now  where  remission  of  these  is,  there 
is  no  more  offering  for  sin."  Hebrews  x.  9,  10, 
14, 15,  17,  18. 

This  7iezv  character  is  formed  by  the  use  of  means 
and  subordinate  agents. 

Means  are  God's  ordinances — liis  word,  sacraments, 
prayer,  and  whatever  he  has  commanded  to  be  said  or 
done.  Agents  are  men  and  angels,  sent  to  "minister  to 
those  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation."     "  And  he  save — 


M 


ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 


apostles — prophets — evangelists — pastors — teachers — 
helps — governments — for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints, 
for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the 
hody  of  Christ,  till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith, 
and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect 
man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of 
Christ."  Eph.  iv.  11,  12,  13.  Compare  1  Cor.  xii. 
27,  28,  and  Lar.  Cat.  Q.  154,  155,  and  proofs  there. 

6.  The  formation  of  this  new  character  is  for  the 
highest  glory  of  God.  On  this  point  we  have  the  tes- 
timony of  the  angels  at  the  hirth  of  Christ.  "  Glory  to 
God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  to 
men."  Luke  ii.  14.  The  testimony  of  Paul — "Unto 
me,  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints  is  this  grace 
given,  that  I  should  preach  among  the  Gentiles  the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ."  "  And  to  make  all  men 
see  what  is  the  fellowship  of  the  mystery  which,  from 
the  beginning  of  the  world  hath  been  hid  in  God,  who 
created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  intent  that 
now  unto  the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly 
places  might  be  made  known  by  the  Church,  the  mani- 
fold wisdom  of  God,  according  to  the  eternal  purpose 
which  he  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  by  whom 
we  have  boldness  and  access  with  confidence,  by  the 
faith  of  him."  Eph.  iii.  8—12.  The  testimony  of  all 
the  heavenly  hosts,  and  the  redeemed  in  glory.  "And 
they  sung  a  new  song,  saying,  thou  art  worthy  to  take 
the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof:  for  thou  wast 
slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood  out  of 
every  kindred  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation;  and 
hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests;  and  we 
shall  reign  on  the  earth.  And  I  beheld,  and  I  heard 
the  voice  of  many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  and 


THE  CHARACTER  OP  MAN.  45 

the  living  creatures,  and  the  elders;  and  the  number  of 
them  was  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  and  thou- 
sands of  thousands;  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  Worthy 
is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches, 
and  wisdom  and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and 
blessing.  And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and 
on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are  in 
the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I  saying.  Bless- 
ing, and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that 
sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  for  ever 
and  ever."  Rev.  v.  5 — 13.  "After  this  I  beheld,  and 
lo,  a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  could  number,  of 
all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues, 
stood  before  the  throne  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed 
with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands,  and  cried 
with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  salvation  to  our  God,  which 
sitteth  upon  the  throne  and  unto  the  Lamb.  And  all 
the  angels  stood  round  about  the  throne,  and  about  the 
elders,  and  the  four  living  creatures,  and  fell  before  the 
tiirone  on  their  faces,  and  worshipped  God,  saying, 
Amen :  Blessing,  and  glory,  and  wisdom,  and  thanks- 
giving, and  honor,  and  power  and  might,  be  unto  our 
God,  for  ever  and  ever,  Amen/'     Rev.  vii.  9 — 12. 


4* 


SERMON  III. 

BY     THE    REVEREND     SAYRS     GAZLAY. 

THE    WAY    OF    SALVATION. 

For  what  the  law  could  not  do  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God,, 
sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinf  1  flesh,  and  for  sin  condemned 
sin  in  the  flesh  ;  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us, 
who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit.  Ro.m.  viii.  3,  4. 

There  are  radical  principles  in  the  gospel,  in  which 
its  glory  and  excellency  peculiarly  consist.  They  are 
those  which,  in  the  greatest  degree,  chafe  and  mortify 
human  pride;  therefore  they  are  most  impugned  by 
men:  for  they  require  such  an  exercise  of  humility, 
such  an  implicit  deference  to  the  sovereign  prerogative 
of  God,  such  an  acknowledgment  of  our  ignorance,  that 
it  is  difficult  for  our  proud  hearts  to  yield.  The  lofti- 
ness of  man  does  not  easily  bow  so  low  as  to  feel  the 
power  of  the  humbling  truth,  that  we  are  of  yesterday, 
and  know  nothing;  that  our  apprehension  of  divine 
things  is  as  far  below  God's  views  as  the  earth  is  below 
the  heavens. 

In  the  passage  of  scripture  now  proposed  for  investi- 
gation, some  of  these  principles  are  contained,  as  the 
helpless  condition  of  lost  sinners,  and  the  doctrines  of 
mcarnation,  imputation,  and  justification. 

Since  God  is  holy,  it  must  necessarily  be,  that  he 
exercise  holiness  in  all  his  works.  Here  is  the  origin 
of  the  moral  law.  The  holiness  which  it  requires  of 
fallen  angels  and  of  elect  angels,  of  fallen  man  and  of 
man  before  the  fall,  is  the  same ;  not  because  the  coa- 


THE   WAY   OF    SALVATION.  47 

dition  of  these  subjects  is  the  same:  for  it  is  not  so;  but 
because  God  is  the  same.     He  cannot  deny  himself. 

The  hoHness  of  the  moral  law,  the  strictness  of  its 
requirements,  its  inflexibility,  all  demonstrate  so  much 
of  the  divine  character  and  glory,  as  it  is  written.  The 
righteousness  of  God^ — being  witnesjsed  by  the  law  and  the 
prophets.  Holiness  is  right  and  good  in  its  own  nature; 
therefore  God,  being  good,  dwells  in  perfect  happiness. 
As  happiness  without  holiness  is  impossible,  therefore  to 
seek  the  happiness  of  creatures  is  to  require  them  to 
be  holy.  The  infinite  benevolence  of  the  divine  nature 
made  it  certain  that  he  would  desire  the  happiness,  the 
best  good  of  his  creatures:  the  Lord  is  good  unto  all; 
acnd  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works.  The 
perfect  and  universal  holiness  of  the  moral  law  is  there- 
fore the  necessary  and  unavoidable  result  of  the  divine 
perfections.  There  is  here  nothing  arbitrary;  it  could 
not  have  been  otherwise  v/ithout  infringing  upon  the 
divine  perfections  and  glory.  Had  the  moral  law 
yielded  any  thing,  in  its  strictness,  to  the  weakness  and 
condition  of  fallen  man,  it  would  have  made  its  author 
the  minister  of  sin,  and  then  the  law  had  not  witnessed 
the  righteousness  of  God,  nor  been  a  transcript  of  his 
moral  character;  and  then  the  requirements  of  the  law 
would  have  been  based  on  something  besides  the  divine 
character,  as  be  ye  imperfect,  because  ye  cannot  do 
the  things  that  ye  would;  and  not,  Be  ye  holy;  for 
I  am  holy. 

Giving  laws  to  regulate  society  and   promote  the  ^ 
welfare  of  an  empire,  is  a  royal  prerogative,  which  no 
king  has  omitted  to  exercise.     The  welfare  of  commuV 
nity  so  depends  upon  it,  that  it  would  not  manifest  i 
benevolent  regard  to  the  good  of  subjects,  to  omit  \L 


48  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

All  civil  governments  and  all  heads  of  families  furnish' 
examples  of  this  principle  in  government.  If  it  per- 
tains to  the  head  of  a  family  to  regulate  his  house,  and 
to  a  king  to  give  laws  to  his  empire  for  the  general 
good,  then  two  things  are  evident;  God  has  given  a 
law,  expressing  his  will  to  men;  and  he  has  done  per- 
fectly right  in  all  the  holy  requirements  of  the  moral 
code.  The  infidel  cannot  suppose  that  the  holy  and 
Benevolont  sovereign  of  all  worlds  would  look  on  all 
the  cruelty,  injustice,  and  depravity,  which  the  world 
of  men  exhibits,  and  sit  a  silent  spectator  of  the  wicked- 
ness and  misery.  If  it  be  admitted  that  a  father  will 
command  and  regulate  his  family,  and  a  king  his  em- 
pire, can  it  be  doubted  that  God  would  do  as  much  for 
his  kingdom?  He  has  infinite  benevolence,  and  there- 
fore in  faithfulness  to  the  welfare  of  his  kingdom,  and 
in  kindness  to  us,  he  has  blessed  us  with  the  instruc- 
tions and  solemn  sanctions  of  the  moral  law. 

God  is  as  holy  as  he  requires  us  to  be:  all  his  ways 
and  thoughts  are  in  perfect  accordance  with  that  holi- 
ness which  he  requires  of  his  creatures.  When  man 
came  from  the  hand  of  his  creator,  he  was  upright;  he 
was  holy.;  and  therefore  able  to  render  entire  holy 
obedience  to  his  Creator.  Now  he  is  a  fallen  creature, 
and  as  no  one  can  lawfully  take  an  advantage  from  his 
own  wrong,  his  accountability  remains  unimpaired. 
Since  the  fall,  human  nature  is  depraved;  and  were  hy 
nature  the  children  of  wrath:  not  by  actions  and  con- 
duct only  are  men  children  of  wrath;  but  they  are  ^ 
hy  nature^  g'lilty,  sinful,  and  under  the  wrath  of  God 
and  the  curse  of  his  holy  law.  The  carnal  mind  which 
ve  all  have  by  nature,  is  enmity  against  God.  It  is  so 
before  we  are  aware  of  it,  before  we  know  the  require- 


THE   WAY    OF   SALVATION.  49 

ments  of  the  law.  After  we  obtain  that  knowledge, 
it  is  too  late  to  avoid  the  curse;  for  it  will  rest  upon  us, 
even  if  afterwards  we  should  render  continued  perfect 
obedience:  for  the  man  who  has  once  committed  theft 
in  violation  of  the  civil  law,  never  can  be  justified  bj 
that  law  which  he  has  broken,  bj  offending  no  more. 
But  no  man,  perceiving  his  depravity,  can  avoid  the 
evil  to  which  his  nature  is  prone;  whatever  efforts  he 
may  make  in  his  own  strength,  still  sin  dwells  in  him. 
This  is  proved  by  the  universal  experience  of  fallen 
man,  and  by  the  testimony  of  scripture;  there  is  not  a 
just  man  upon  earthy  that  doeth  good,  and  sinneth  not — 
when  I  would  do  good,  evil  is  present  with  me — ye  cannot 
do  the  things  that  yt  would.  That  sin  can  pertain  to  our 
nature  or  conduct  before  we  are  aware,  or  before  we 
have  knowledge  of  moral  obligation,  is  made  evident 
by  what  is  taught  respecting  the  sin  of  ignorance:  he 
that  did  not  know  his  master's  will,  .must  notwithstand^ 
ing  be  beaten. 

The  impossibility  of  a  fallen  creature's  being  justi- 
fied by  works,  or  by  any  obedience  which  he  can  • 
render  to  the  moral  law,  is  what  the  apostle  intends  by 
what  the  laze  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was  zveak  through  the 
Jiesh,  That  this  is  the  meaning,  is  evident  from  the 
fact,  that  Jesus  came  and  suffered,  to  effect  the  justifi- 
cation of  sinners,  which  was  the  thing  that  the  law 
could  not  do.  If  this  object  could  possibly  have  been 
effected  by  the  law,  Christ  need  not  have  come  and 
suffered;  and  if  it  need  not  have  been  done,  then  it 
would  not:  for  it  is  inadmissible  that  God  would  do  that 
which  was  needless:  therefore  the  meaning  is  clear,  as 
it  is  written;  if  there  had  been  a  law  given  zvhich  could 
have  given  life,  verily  righteousness  should  have  been  by 


50  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

the  Ia7L'.  It  is  further  evident  that  this  is  the  apostle's 
meaning,  from  an  evidently  parallel  passage  in  a  ser- 
mon from  the  lips  of  the  same  apostle,  recorded  Acts 
xiii.  39:  And  hy  him  all  that  believe  are  justijied  from 
all  things,  from  which  ye  could  not  he  justified  hy  the 
law  of  Moses, 

A  righteousness  was  required  for  the  sinner's  justifi- 
cation, which,  in  his  fallen  state,  he  could  not  render: 
for  it  was  one  which  answered  all  the  demands  of  the 
law — every  jot  and  tittle.  Such  a  righteousness  was 
out  of  his  power;  yet  the  curse  of  the  righteous  law 
rested  upon  him,  and  doomed  him  to  death.  For  as 
many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  lazv,  are  under  the  curse* 
A  righteousness  which  an  infinitely  holy  God  could 
accept,  must  have  been  perfect.  This,  which  could 
not  be  effected  under  the  law,  is  effected  under  the 
gospel:  For  the  laiv  made  nothing  perfect;  hut  the  bring- 
ing in  of  a  better  hope  did. 

The  justice  of  God  is  a  precious  and  glorious  attri- 
bute, for  which  all  holy  creatures  love  and  adore  him. 
If  any  one  of  his  perfections  be  more  precious  and 
glorious  than  another,  it  may  be  supposed  that  it  is  this. 
What  would  save  the  character  of  a  public  man  or 
private  citizen,  who  should  give  evidence  that  he  was 
unjust?  He  might  be  generous  and  charitable;  but  if 
he  defrauded  others  to  bestow  alms  upon  the  needy,  his 
character  would  wear  a  stain.  If  the  atonement  had 
not  been  made,  no  sinner  could  have  been  saved,  unless 
God  had  given  up  his  holiness,  violated  justice,  and 
become  mutable;  which  are  imj)ossible:  for  God  is 
holy  and  without  shadow  of  turning. 

Here  perhaps  the  objector  will  ask.  How  is  it  con- 
sistent with  justice  for  God  to  require,  as  a  condition 


THE    WAY    OP   SALVATION.  51 

of  justification,  a  righteousness  beyond  what  the  sinner 
himself  is  able  to  render?  It  may  be  replied,  the  facts 
are  before  us.  God  would  not  unnecessarily  subject 
his  beloved  son  to  the  curse  of  the  law.  The  objection 
implies  that  he  has  done  so.  It  is  too  late  to  inquire, 
how  it  is  consistent  with  justice  for  God  to  require  a 
righteousness  for  justification,  which  the  sinner  is  every 
Way  unable  to  render;  God  has  done  it,  and  has  de- 
clared the  fact.  If  we  are  not  satisfied  with  his 
righteous  judgment,  we  have  cause  to  tremble.  It  is 
consistent,  however,  with  divine  justice,  just  as  it  is  in 
the  case  of  fallen  angels,  who  suffer  the  curse  of 
eternal  death;  because  there  is  no  way  in  which  they 
can  be  justified.  Neither  nature  nor  grace,  law  nor 
gospel  affords  any  method  by  which  it  is  possible;  yet 
God  is  just  in  their  treatment. 

It  is  consistent  for  God  to  have  made  that  require- 
ment, just  as  it  will  be  eternally  consistent  for  lost  sin- 
ners to  remain  under  eternal  death,  because  there  will 
be  no  way  possible  by  which  they  can  escape  from  it, 
or  give  to  God  a  ransom  for  their  souls.  When  their 
inability  shall  render  their  punishment  unjust,  we  may 
expect  a  new  revelation. 

It  is  consistent  with  divine  justice,  just  as  it  is  con- 
sistent with  civil  justice,  to  sentence  a  murderer  to  the 
penalty,  and  bind  him  to  its  unavoidable  execution; 
because  he  cannot  do  any  thing  which  will  repair  the 
breach  of  the  law,  or  ransom  himself  from  its  demands. 
Will  we  deny  to  Jehovah  the  prerogative  which  we 
claim  for  man? 

It  is  consistent  wit^  divine  justice;  because  that  jus- 
tice, being  infinite  and  perfect,  cannot  be  satisfied  with 
■any  obedience  of  the  sinner  that  is  not  perfect  and 


52  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

entire.  Nothing  less  can  be  accepted  without  a  viola- 
tion of  justice,  which  is  injustice.  Our  being  sinners 
and  obnoxious  to  the  penalty  of  the  law,  is  a  fact  which 
cannot  be  affected  by  our  inability  to  work  out  a  justi- 
fying righteousness;  otherwise  we  run  into  the  absurdity, 
tliat  if  a  sinner  cannot  render  himself  holy  from  his 
earliest  being,  so  as  to  fulfil  all  the  requirements  of  the 
law,  then,  as  he  is  not  accountable,  he  is  holy;  he  does 
fulfil  all  those  requirements;  justice  is  satisfied;  God 
must  save  him,  and  save  him  too  from  nothing:  for  if  his 
condemnation  would  be  unjust,  then  there  is  no  con- 
demnation upon  him. 

It  seems  that  no  doubt  need  to  embarrass  the  mind 
of  any  one  upon  this  subject:  for  it  is  a  universally 
acknowledged  maxim,  that  the  violator  of  law  is  held 
and  bound  to  the  penalty;  if  this  be  not  consistent  with 
justice,  then  all  law  is  injustice. 

The  inefficiency  of  the  law  to  bring  sinners  to  justifi- 
cation, is  not  deducible  from  any  fault  in  the  law,  but 
is  deducible  entirely  from  our  corrupt,  fleshly,  or  carnal 
nature — The  law  was  weak  through  ihefiesh.  The  term 
''flesh,"  in  the  scriptures,  when  used  in  reference  to 
the  natural  condition  of  sinners,  means  their  corrupt 
nature.  For  when  we  were  in  the  flesh,  the  motions  of 
sins  which  were  by  the  law,  did  work  in  our  members, 
to  bring  forth  fruit  unto  death.  So  then,  they  that  are 
in  the  flesh,  cannot  please  God.  The  law  was  ineffi- 
cient, from  the  state  that  sinners  were  in — depraved 
and  condemned.  The  law  could  not  raise  that  con- 
demnation. The  sinner  was  condemned  already;  be- 
cause he  was  a  sinner.  God  hath  included  all  under 
s-in,  in  that  all  have  sinned.  We  were  born  sinners; 
born  under  the  wrath  of  God — and  were  by  nature  the 


THE   WAY    OF   SALVATION'. 


53 


children  of  wrath.  Sin  entered  our  hearts  ere  we  were 
aware  of  it,  and  defiled  us,  and  brought  the  curse  upon 
us.  We  are  degenerate  plants  of  a  strange  vine;  by 
nature  the  children  of  wrath;  man  is  born  as  a  wild 
ass's  coh;  the  wicked  are  estranged  from  the  womb; 
who  can  bring  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean?  How 
can  he  be  clean  that  is  born  of  a  woman  ?  Adam  begat 
a  son  in  his  own  likeness.  But  the  depravity  of  our 
nature  is  not  all:  the  sin  of  our  first  parent  is  reckoned 
to  us  as  ours;  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were 
made  sinners.  We  were  rendered  sinners  by  that  first 
transgression;  and  living  to  act  out  our  depravity,  we 
become  guilty  of  actual  transgression.  In  this  condi- 
tion, this  being  our  flesh,  our  carnal  nature,  how 
apparent  is  our  helplessness  under  the  law.  How 
evident  is  the  inefficiency  of  the  law  to  bring  such 
sinners  to  justification. 

The  condition  of  the  sinner,  with  respect  to  his 
continuance  in  actual  sin,  shows  his  helplessness,  even 
under  all  the  advantages  of  the  new  dispensation.  If 
by  the  convictions  of  the  Spirit,  the  terrors  of  eternal 
judgment,  and  the  power  of  an  awakened  conscience, 
he  should  really  wish  he  were  a  Christian,  that  he 
might  escape  the  wrath  to  come;  and  if  he  should  make 
the  greatest  possible  efforts,  in  his  own  strength,  to 
perform  any  duty  in  a  holy  manner,  '•  every  effort 
would  but  evince  his  weakness;  every  struggle  would 
bind  him  faster  and  faster  in  his  chains."  This  is 
shown  by  the  words  of  the  Saviour:  No  man  can  come 
unto  me,  except  the  Father,  which  sent  me,  draw  him; 
for  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing.  The  helplessness  of 
our  carnal  state  is  such,  that  no  efforts  in  our  own 
strength  can  deliver  us  from  condemnation,  or  enable 
us  to  render  any  holy  obedience  to  the  divine  require- 

5 


54 


ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 


ments.  The  influence  of  the  IIolj  Spirit  alone  can 
enable  us  to  comply  with  the  terms  of  the  gospel,  be- 
cause of  the  weakness  of  the  flesh.  It  is  the  Spirit  that 
quickeneth;  the  Jiesh  profiteth  nothing.  The  reason  is, 
we  are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins;  our  will  is  only  the 
exercise  of  minds  entirely  sinful,  carnal,  unholy,  and  can 
no  more  of  itself  beget  a  holy  exercise,  than  a  thistle  can 
produce  figs,  or  a  thorn,  grapes.  Every  unregenerate 
person  yet  remains  under  the  law;  and  all  they  do 
is  under  the  law.  It  is  grace,  and  not  works,  not 
unregenerate  doings,  that  can  raise  them  out  of  this 
condition:  because  the  law  worketh  wrath;  for  as  many 
as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are  under  the  curse. 

To  accomplish  an  object  so  congenial  to  infinite 
benevolence,  as  to  provide  a  way  by  which  the  justifi- 
cation of  a  sinner  could  be  effected,  the  Son,  who  is 
equal  with  God,  became  incarnate,  took  upon  him  our 
nature;  God^  sending  his  own  Son  m  the  likeness  of  sinful 
Jiesh,  He  appeared  in  the  world  among  men,  not  with 
all  the  radiant  glory  in  which  he  was  arrayed  in  heaven. 
Although  he  was  the  mighty  God,  he  took  upon  him 
the  form  of  a  servant,  the  form  and  appearance  of  man 
who  is  sinful  flesh;  but  he  remained  holy,  harmless, 
undefiled,  and  separate  from  sinners.  While  here  on 
earth  his  divine  glory  was  eclipsed  to  the  eyes  of  men; 
but  not  to  the  eyes  of  angels;  they  still  beheld  his  glory 
in  heaven.  To  three  of  the  disciples  he  granted  a 
glimpse  of  it  at  his  transfiguration.  When  he  had 
finished  his  work  on  earth,  he  ascended  to  his  wonted 
glory  on  the  throne  of  God,  according  to  his  petition: 
Father,  glorify  thou  me,  with  thine  own  self,  with  the 
glory  which  I  had  with  thee,  before  the  world  was. 

Such  language  as  the  following:  he  took  not  on  him 
the  nature  of  angels;  though  he  was  rich,  for  our  sakes 


THE   WAY    OF     SALVATION. 


55 


he  became  poor;  he  came  into  the  world,  was  sent  in 
the  hkeness  of  sinful  flesh,  of  whom,  as  concerning  the 
flesh,  Christ  came,  clearly  indicates  that  he  was  reallj 
some  other  being  than  these  forms  indicated.  It  never 
was  said  of  a  mere  man,  that  he  was  manifested  in  the 
flesh,  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant;  it  never 
could  be  said.  These  forms  of  expression  only  can  be 
accounted  for  by  what  the  scriptures  in  many  places 
openly  affirm,  that  he  is  God,  who  created  all  things,  is 
over  all  God  blessed  forever,  the  Mighty  God,  the 
Everlasting  Father. 

He  became  man,  not  by  transmutation,  but  by  a 
union  with  manhood,  and  remained  truly  both  God 
and  man,  or  Emmanuel,  God  with  us;  that  he  might  be 
a  mediator  between  God  and  man,  a  day's  man,  who 
might  lay  his  hand  upon  us  both.  The  work  of  media- 
tor required  this.  He  must  have  been  man  to  obey  the 
law  given  to  man,  and  broken  by  man;  that  he  might 
bear  the  curse  that  lay  upon  man;  and  at  the  same 
time,  having  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwelling  in 
him  bodily,  his  expiatory  sufferings  might  be  of  infinite 
value;  and  being  endured  by  one  who  was  really  a 
man,  really  one  of  our  race;  and  being  endured  for  us, 
in  our  place  and  on  our  behalf,  God  could  be  just  while 
justifying  those  who  are  in  him  by  faith.  If  the  penalty 
of  the  law  was  eternal  death,  the  eternal  displeasure  of 
God,  yet  such  was  the  dignity  of  the  sufferer,  such  was 
the  value  of  his  sufferings,  that,  in  a  shorter  period,  he 
suffered  as  much  for  his  people,  for  their  sins,  as  entirely 
satisfied  all  the  demands  of  justice  against  them. 

That  the  propitiatory  sacrifice  of  Christ  might  be  of 
any  avail,  it  was  necessary  that  it  be  made  for  those 
who  were  to  be  affected  by  it;  else  it  could  have  no 


56 


ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 


rchilion  to  them:  therefore  the  Lord  laid  upon  him  the 
iniquities  of  us  all.  Why  cannot  fallen  angels  be 
saved  by  this  atonement?  Simply  because  it  was  not 
made  for  them.  If  it  were  only  made  for  sin  indefi- 
nitely, it  would  have  as  much  relation  to  them  as  it 
would  have  to  us.  It  was  our  sins  then,  and  not  the 
sins  of  angels,  for  which  the  Saviour  suffered,  which 
were  condemned  in  him;  it  was  our  sins  that  were  laid 
upon  him.  He  could  not  however  bear  our  sins,  and 
not  the  sins  of  angels,  unless  it  were  that  our  sins  were 
placed  to  his  account,  and  theirs  were  not  so  placed  to 
his  account.  This  only  can  be  the  distinction.  When 
therefore  it  is  said,  and  far  sin  condemned  sin  in  thejlesh^ 
we  are  compelled  to  understand  that  the  sin  which  was 
condemned  in  the  flesh  of  Jesus,  was  the  sin  which  was 
imputed  to  him,  and  laid  upon  him.  If  a  civil  govern- 
ment should  apprehend  an  innocent  man  and  put  him 
to  death  without  laying  any  thing  to  his  charge,  it 
could  not  be  said  that  he  suffered  for  the  sins  of  others: 
for  it  would  not  be  true,  seeing  that  no  such  sins  were 
mentioned  in  his  indictment,  or  in  the  counts  or  accu- 
sation laid  against  him;  or  in  the  judgment  condemn- 
ing him.  Neither  could  it  be  said  that  he  was  made  a 
sacrifice  to  public  justice:  for  public  justice  had  no 
claims  for  satisfaction  upon  him;  he  was  innocent. 
He  could  only  be  said  to  have  been  made  a  sacri- 
fice to  public  injustice,  a  sacrifice  to  public  disgrace. 
The  civil  government  that  could  do  so  would  be 
infamous  in  the  view  of  the  world.  The  condem- 
nation and  punishment  of  the  innocent,  a  gainst  whom 
no  crime  is  laid,  is  an  absurdity,  the  extreme  of 
injustice.  It  is  not  so  in  the  condemnation  and  suffer- 
ings of  Christ.     He  died  for  our  sins;  for  the  transgres- 


THE    WAY    OF    SALVATION. 


57 


sion  of  my  people  was  he  stricken.  The  condemnation 
and  sacrifice  of  Christ  has  put  no  stain  upon  the  escut- 
cheon of  infinite  justice;  because  he  voluntarily  con- 
sented to  be  our  substitute,  and  to  bear  our  sins  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree.  This  rendered  the  punishment 
of  the  innocent  consistent  with  justice.  Sin  was  con- 
demned in  him;  but  not  his  personal  sin:  for  he  had 
none.  What  sin  then  was  condemned  in  him?  Clearly 
the  sin  of  men  that  was  imputed  to  him.  Herein  the 
justice  of  God  is  maintained,  and  his  ways  justified 
before  men.  The  innocent  is  condemned  and  cursed; 
but  it  is  just  and  righteous,  because  with  his  consent 
our  sins  were  laid  upon  him,  and  he  willingly  bears  the 
curse  that  is  due  to  us,  to  deliver  us  therefrom.  Christ 
hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a 
curse  for  us,  O  wondrous  grace!  Who  can  fathom  the 
height  and  depth  of  the  wisdom,  the  condescension,  and 
justice  which  are  here  displayed? 

If,  in  the  passage,  we  understand  the  words, yo?*  sin, 
to  mean,  a  sin  offering,  the  result  is  the  same:  for  if 
'Christ  were  condemned  and  crucified  as  an  offering 
for  sin,  it  must  still  have  been  for  sin,  either  his  own 
or  imputed.     If  he  was  without  sin,  and  if  none  was 
imputed,  then  he  was  not  a  sin  oflfering:  neither  could 
sin  have  been  condemned  in  him,  inasmuch  as  punish- 
ing the  innocent  is  not  condemning  sin.     The  passage 
is  expressive  on  this  point.     The  meaning  is  clear,  and 
all  doubt  precluded:  Christ  had  no  sin  in  his  own  per- 
son,   and  yd  sin  was  condemned  in  his  flesh.     The 
lamp  of  life  is  hghted  to  dying  men.     Jesus  bare  their 
sins  in  his  own  body;  died  for  us,  that  we  might  live; 
justice  is  satisfied;  all  its  demands  are  answered,  by  the 

penalty  due  to  us  being  laid  upon  Jesus,  our  substitute. 

5* 


58  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

If  our  sins  were  all  imputed  to  the  Son  of  God  and 
condemned  in  him;  and  if  this  atonement  be  accepted 
of  the  lawgiver  as  a  complete  satisfaction  for  us  to 
divine  justice,  as  paying  all  the  demands  of  the  law, 
then  we  perceive  how  it  is,  that  the  righteousness  of  the 
laic  is  fulfilled  in  us^  if  we  be  really  in  Christ,  and  have 
the  fruit  or  evidence,  walking  not  after  the  flesh,  but 
after  the  spirit.  We  are  thereby  completely  justified, 
being  in  Christ.  He  is  our  peace,  by  removing  all  the 
curse  of  the  law  from  us,  bearing  the  penalty  for  us. 
We  are  no  longer  under  the  law;  that  being  dead, 
wherein  we  were  held.  The  apostle  fixes  the  meaning 
of  the  righteousness  of  the  law''s  being  fulfUed  in  us,  by 
introducing  the  subject  with  asserting  that  there  is 
therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  vrhich  are  in 
Christ  Jesus.  We  are  free  from  the  condemnation  of 
the  law,  having  fulfilled  all  its  demands  by  cur  repre- 
sentative. Christ  fulfilled  all  the  righteousness  of  the 
law;  and  he  did  it  for  us,  on  our  account,  in  our  place. 
It  becomes  ours  the  moment  we  are  in  him  by  faith: 
for  we- are  in  him,  and  he  is  in  us;  and  thus  the  righte- 
ousness of  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  us,  and  we  are  justified 
from  all  things,  from  which  we  could  not  be  justified  by 
the  law  of  Moses.  As  the  sins  of  believers  were  all 
imputed  to  Christ,  so  that  he  could  justly  be  con- 
demned for  them,  and  be  made  a  cui'se  for  them;  so 
the  righteousness  which  he  wrought  therein,  is  imputed 
to  us,  and  becomes  ours  for  justification,  as  fully  and 
completely  as  if  all  its  demands  had  been  performed  by 
us  personally;  so  that  there  remains  no  condemnation 
to  them  which  are  in  him.  They  are  then  counted  as 
righteous  before  God;  no  sin  is  any  more  charged 
afi^ainst  them ;  there  is  no  more  curse  for  them  to  bear, 


THE   WAY   OF    SALVATION. 


59 


nothing  but  the  favor  and  blessing  of  heaven  awaits 
them.  Even  as  David  describeth  the  blessedness  of 
the  man  to  whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  without 
works:  not  having  on  our  own  righteousness,  which  is 
of  the  law.  but  the  righteousness  of  God  by  faith.  If 
then  the  believer  have  on  the  righteousness  of  God, 
the  righteousness  of  the  law  is  counted  as  fulfilled  in 
him  to  his  complete  justification.  He  will  stand  com- 
plete in  righteousness  forever  and  ever. 

That  the  righteousness  which  is  fulfilled  in  believers 
is  not  sanctification,  is  evident  from  the  consideration 
that  in  this  sense  the  righteousness  of  the  law  is  not 
fulfilled  in  them,  and  never  can  be:  for  it  is  written 
cursed  is  every  one  who  continueth  not  in  all  the 
things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do 
them;  so  long  as  it  will  be  true  of  a  saint  in  glorj^  that 
he  has  ever  committed  one  sin,  so  long  it  will  remain 
true,  that  all  the  righteous  demands  of  the  law  have 
neither  been  fulfilled  in  him  nor  by  him  personally. 

The  object  to  be  accomplished  by  the  atonement  was 
the  justification  of  sinners.  Whv  did  God  send  his  own 
Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin  condemn 
sin  in  the  flesh?  The  answer  is  given.  It  was  that 
the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us, 
which  the  law  could  not  effect.  Now  the  believer  is 
justified,  having  on  the  righteousness  of  God.  If  the 
believer  have  on  the  righteousness  of  God,  he  must  be 
justified.  He  may  say,  in  the  Lord  have  I  righteous- 
ness. As  the  sin  which  procured  the  condemnation  of 
Christ  is  ux  us,  is  our  sin;  so  the  righteousness  for  which 
we  are  justified  is  in  Christ,  is  his  righteousness:  as  hy 
one  man's  disobedience  many  iverc  made  sinners^  so  by  the 
obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous.     He  hath 


/ 


60  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

fnadc.  him  who  knew  no  fin,  to  be  sin  for  us,  that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.  If  the  righte- 
ousness of  Christ  were  not  imputed  to  believers  unto 
their  justification,  the  ol)ject  of  condemning  sin  in  him 
would  not  be  obtained.  That  object  was  their  justifi- 
cation. But  how  can  they  be  just  before  God?  They 
are  unholy;  they  are  guilty.  God,  who  will  by  no 
means  clear  the  guilty,  cannot  pronounce  them  just, 
without  perverting  justice  and  truth.  This  scheme  of 
justification  explains  it,  and  makes  it  all  plain.  Our 
sins  have  all  been  condjmn^d  and  punished  once  to 
the  satisfaction  of  divine  justice;  and  there  is  no  ne- 
cessity of  repeating  it  in  us -who  believe;  what  the 
honor  of  the  law  required,  has  already  been  rendered 
by  our  substitute;  therefore  believers  can  be  acquitted 
and  justified  consistently  with  divine  justice;  and  there- 
fore it  will  be  done. 

Omit  this  doctrine  of  imputation,  and  we  must  deny 
the  possibility  of  our  justification:  for  it  rests  upon  no 
other  basis.  If  our  sins  were  not  imputed  to  Chnst, 
he  never  suffered  for  them,  made  no  atonement  for 
them,  any  more  th;in  for  the  sins  of  fallen  angels,  which 
were  not  imputed  to  him.  If  our  sins  were  not  con- 
demned in  him,  they  will  be  eternally  condemned  in 
us:  for  God  is  just,  and  will  by  no  means  clear  the 
guilty.  If  Christ  has  not  satisfied  the  law  by  bearing 
our  sins  in  l]is  own  body  on  the  tree;  by  having  our 
sins  condemned  in  his  flesh;  it  is  evident  we  have  the 
awful  account  yet  to  render  for  ourselves  in  the  black- 
ness of  eternal  darkness. 

It  is  in  no  accordance  with  the  gospel,  to  suppose 
that  our  justification  could  be  eflfected  by  Christ's  suffer- 
ing, not  for  our  sins,  but  to  make  a  display  and  demon- 


THE    WAY    OF    SALVATIOX.  61 

stration  of  divine  justice.  This  would  make  that 
suffering  unnecessary;  and  if  unnecessary,  unreasona- 
ahle  and  unjust.  For  God  had  ah'eady  given  a  greater 
display  of  his  justice,  and  of  his  displeasure  against 
sin,  in  binding  the  angels  that  sinned  in  everlasting 
chains  under  darkness,  than  such  a  scheme  supposes. 
A  display  of  his  justice  was  already  made,  and  stood  in 
bold  relief  before  the  universe.  Such  a  display  was 
no  longer  wanting  to  save  sinners  of  our  race.  If  that 
was  all  that  was  wanting,  Christ  need  not  to  have  suf- 
fered. Sinners  could  as  well  have  been  saved  without 
the  atonement  as  with  it.  What  was  wanting  to  save 
sinners,  was  not  such  a  display  of  divine  justice;  but  a 
preservation  of  that  justice;  something  to  render  their 
salvation  consistent  with  justice,  that  God  might  be 
just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus; 
something  to  prevent  injustice  in  saving  them.  It  was 
necessary  that  God's  wrath  be  expressed  against  the 
sin  of  those  who  should  be  saved.  For  this  purpose 
their  sins  were  laid  upon  Christ,  and  condemned  in 
him.  The  punishment  of  angels  was  an  infinitely 
better  manifestation  of  divine  justice,  than  the  condem- 
nation of  the  holy  Jesus,  if  no  sin  was  imputed  to  him. 
The  one  is  an  awful  display  of  divine  justice;  but  the 
other,  being  the  punishment  of  one  to  whom  no  sin  in 
any  way  appertained,  is  no  display  of  justice  in  any 
degree.  How  such  a  display  of  injustice,  openly  made 
before  the  universe,  could  make  it  consistent  to  violate 
justice  in  the  salvation  of  the  guilty,  whose  sins  have 
not  been  expiated,  has  never  been  shown. 

If  all  that  is  requisite  to  the  salvation  of  sinners  be 
a  display  of  divine  justice,  then  may  we  not  suppose, 
that  the  display  which  is  made  in  the  curse  upon  fallen 


62  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

angels;  and  that  which  is  making  in  the  spirits  in 
prison,  and  which,  by  the  increase  of  their  numbers,  is 
daily  increasing,  are  rendernig  the  salvation  of  sinners 
daily  more  and  more  easy,  as  that  display  is  daily  be- 
coming greater;  so  that  by  and  by  sinners  can  be 
saved  without  any  reference  to  the  atonement  of  Christ? 
And  since  the  benevolence  of  God  forbids  that  he 
should  require  any  punishment  after  the  display  of  his 
justice,  be  sufficient  and  satisfactory,  may  it  not  be  fur- 
ther supposed,  that,  at  some  future  period,  the  display 
of  divine  justice  will  be  so  full  and  complete  before 
the  face  of  the  universe,  that  all  the  sons  of  misery  may 
arise  to  bliss  in  heaven,  without  any  atonement,  and  » 
God  be  just?  If  such  expectations  cannot  be  indulged, 
if  they  are  subversive  of  the  gospel,  and  inconsistent 
with  the  divine  perfections,  the  premises  from  which 
they  are  adduced  must  be  marked  and  avoided. 

The  ground  of  our  justification  then  cannot  be  mis- 
taken. Christ  died  ybr  our  sins,  bare  our  sins.  He  is 
the  propitiation yo?-  our  sins,  lie  hath  made  him  to  be  i 
sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made 
the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.  All  which  scriptures  ! 
plainly  show  that  Christ  was  made  our  substitute,  to 
whom  our  sins  were  imputed,  so  that  he  that  believeth 
is  justified  from  all  things,  from  which  he  could  not  be 
justified  by  the  law  of  Moses. 


SERMON   IV. 

THE    WAY    OF    SALVATION. 

COrfTINUED. 

For  what  the  law  could  not  do  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God, 
sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin  condeai.ed 
sin  in  the  fltsh  ;  that  the  righteousness  of  tha  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us, 
who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit.  Ro.m.  viii.  3,  4. 

In  the  preceding  discourse  the  above  passage  of  scrip- 
ture has  been  discussed,  and  its  instructions  gathered. 
It  was  found  to  contain  some  of  the  radical  principles 
of  the  gospel,  which  clearly  illustrate  the  way  of  salva- 
tion. Those  principles  are  expressed  in  the  following 
summary.  Such  are  the  perfections  of  God  that  he 
cannot  clear  the  guilty:  therefore,  no  sinner  could  be 
saved,  unless  his  sins  be  condemned  and  expiated,  with- 
out a  violation  of  immutable  justice.  Since  the  justice 
of  God  must  be  expressed  in  his  law,  it  was  necessary 
that  such  a  perfect  law  be  given,  as  it  W3.s  not  possible 
for  man,  in  a  fallen  state,  to  obey:  for  it  requires  us  to 
be  as  perfectly  holy  from  our  first  being,  as  God  him- 
self is  perfect.  Man  finds  himself  a  sinner  already, 
and  the  covenant  of  works  already  broken,  both  by  his 
representative,  and  by  himself  in  his  own  person,  so 
that  his  justification  by  any  thing  which  he  can  do,  is 
impossible;  and  it  is  equally  impossible  for  God  to  dis- 
pense with  the  least  tittle  of  the  perfect  righteousness  of 
the  law.  There  is  nothing  which  the  sinner  can  do  that 
would  make  it  just  for  God  to  save  him.  In  this  deadly 
condition  he  was  the  object  of  Divine  compassion,  and 


64 


ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 


God  sent  his  own  Son,  who  wilHnglj  came  out  of  love, 
and  suffered  in  his  flesh  the  curse  that  was  due  to  us 
for  sin ;  and  as  our  sins  were  imputed  to  him,  so  that 
they  could  he  condemned  in  him,  we  believing  in  him, 
and  receiving  him,  are,  by  the  imputation  of  that  per- 
fect righteousness  which  he  thereby  wrought  out  for 
us,  counted  as  fulfilling  all  the  demands  of  the  law,  and 
are  thus  justified  before  God  through  grace;  counted 
as  righteous  in  his  sight,  being  sanctified  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  the  exercise  of  a  living  faith,  and  are  thus 
made  heirs  of  eternal  salvation. 

From  the  view  which  has  now  been  taken  of  the  Way 
of  salvation,  the  following  suggestions  naturally  arise. 

1.  All  sin  is  not  voluntary.  If  the  disobedience  of 
one  made  or  constituted  many  sinful,  the  many  thus 
made  sinful  were  not  voluntary  in  that  act  which  made 
them  sinful,  none  being  voluntary  therein  but  Adam; 
yet  that  act  is  so  counted  to  his  posterity  that  it  brought 
condemnation  u^oii  them:  for  the  judgment  zvas  hy  one 
to  condemnation;  through  the  offence  of  one  many  be 
dead.  The  many  who  are  under  condemnation  to 
death  for  that  one  man's  ofTence,  were  not  voluntary 
therein:  for  we  are  made  subject  to  vanity  ?zo^  willingly. 

Besides,  if  we  are  all  hy  nature  children  of  zvrath,  we 
are  not  voluntary  in  that  under  which  we  are  born, 
under  which  we  lie  by  nature. 

This  is  set  in  a  still  stronger  light  by  the  experience 
of  every  Christian  who  groans  over  indwelling  sin 
which  he  cannot  avoid.  If  to  will  is  present  with  him, 
while  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good  he  finds  not^ 
then  he  is  not  voluntary  therein.  If  he  cannot  do  the 
things  that  he  would,  then  he  is  not  voluntary  in  that 
which  hinders  the  execution  of  his  desires  to  do  good. 


THE    WAY    OF    SALVATION. 


65 


It  is  therefore  entirely  evident  that  while  much  sin  is 
voluntary,  it  is  not  all  so. 

2.  Sin  and  holiness  are  not  necessarily  personal,  i.  e. 
they  do  not,  in  every  respect,  result  from  the  personal 
acts  of  those  who  are  counted  sinful  or  righteous.  If 
it  were  not  so,  our  sins  could  not  have  heen  condemned 
in  the  flesh  of  Christ;  neither  could  the  perfect  righte- 
ousness demanded  hy  the  law  ever  he  said  to  he  ful- 
filled in  such  transgressors  as  we  all  are;  neither 
could  it  he  said,  that  we  are  complete  in  him;  not 
having  on  our  own  righteousness.  If  we  are  righteous 
before  God,  and  have  not  on  our  own  righteousness, 
tlien  righteousness  is  not  always  personal,  and  the 
principle  is  proved  to  be  founded  in  gospel  truth;  and 
tlie  point  is  gained. 

3.  The  possession  of  the  natural  faculties  of  a  moral 
agent  do  not  constitute  an  ability  to  do  what  the  per- 
fect law  of  God  requires.  The  natural  faculties  of  an 
infant  do  not  constitute  any  ability  in  such  infant  to 
walk  or  to  talk.  The  natural  faculties  of  Judah,  Reu- 
ben, and  Simeon  did  not  constitute  any  power  in  them 
to  hold  conversation  with  Joseph,  in  the  Egyptian  lan- 
guage, when  he  conversed  with  them  by  an  interpreter, 
although  they  had  the  same  natural  faculty  of  speech 
that  he  had.  Adam  and  his  posterity  after  the  fall  had 
the  same  natural  faculties  that  he  had  before  the  fall, 
and  yet  they  had  not  the  same  power  to  stand  com- 
plete in  personal  righteousness  by  universal  obedience 
to  God :  for  this,  after  the  fall,  was  an  utter  impossi- 
bility, else  a  sinner  could  be  justified  by  the  works  of 
the  law,  and  it  would  not  have  been  written  on  this 
subject,  for  what  the  law  could  not  do  in  that  it  was 
weak  through  the  flesh. 

6 


66 


ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 


A  man  who  has  the  natural  faculty  of  loving  can 
love;  for  he  docs  love:  hut  it  does  not  follow  that  he 
has  a  self-determining  power  over  his  affections,  to 
change  them  at  w  ill.  A  man  who  loves  his  child  can- 
not transfer  that  affection  to  a  stick  of  wood,  even  if 
jou  should  present  such  motives  before  him  as  to  make 
him  wish  to  do  so.  Suppose  a  man  were  in  prison, 
whose  most  ardent  desire  is,  to  be  enlarged,  that  he 
might  return  to  an  affectionate  family;  and  suppose  a 
governor  should  offer  him  an  immediate  discharge,  if 
he  would  only  hate  his  affectionate  family  for  one 
minute;  now  it  is  perfectly  obvious  that  he  has  all  the 
requisite  natural  faculty  of  loving  and  hating,  the  mo- 
tive is  sufficient,  and  the  condition,  hating  his  absent 
family  for  one  minute,  w^ould  do  them  no  injury;  he 
therefore  summons  his  greatest  efforts  to  the  task;  but 
it  is  impossible.  Thus,  it  is  evident  that  as  man  has 
not  a  self-determining  power  over  his  affections,  the 
possession  of  natural  faculties  does  not  constitute  an 
ability  to  control  or  transfer  his  affections,  or  to  render 
what  justice  requires.  And  thus  it  appears  that  every 
way  the  law  is  inefficient  through  the  flesh,  to  bring  a 
sinner  to  justification. 

All  men  are  naturally  Arminians,  and  they  arejl 
ever  devising  methods  of  wresting  the  scriptures  and 
evading  the  truth,  a  lively  demonstration  of  the  truth, 
that  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the 
spirit  of  God;  they  are  foolishness  unto  him;  neither 
can  he  know  them;  because  they  are  spiritually 
discerned. 

4.  It  is  evident  that  the  justification  of  a  sin- 
ner, one  who  is  fallen  from  perfect  and  universal 
obedience,  is  impossible  under  the  law,  or  under  the 


THE   WAY    OF    SALVATION.  67 

covenant  of  works.  If  he  could  now  become  per- 
fectly holy,  and  continue  so  forever,  still  his  justifica- 
tion would  he  forever  impossible;  the  stern  purity  of 
justice  would  forever  forbid  it.  However  much  he 
might  be  pitied,  he  never  could  be  justified  while  God 
remains  holy  and  immutable.  A  God  of  infinite  per- 
fections could  not  justify  and  save  him  on  the  ground 
of  works  if  he  would,  without  violating  the  purity  of 
eternal  justice. 

The  helplessness  of  sinners  under  the  gospel  dispen- 
sation does  not  consist  in  their  inability  to  provide  an 
adequate  atonement;  for  this,  through  grace,  is  already 
provided;  but  it  consists  in  a  want  of  a  self-determining 
power  in  the  will,  or  in  the  mind,  to  turn  their  aflfec- 
tions  to  holiness  and  to  God,  so  as  to  love  what  they 
hate,  and  hate  what  they  love — a  power,  by  which  a 
carnal  and  unholy  will  may  originate  holy  afiections; 
a  power,  by  which  sin  may  beget  holiness:  which  are 
all  contrary  to  human  nature,  and  which  involve  contra- 
diction and  absurdity.  Herein  consists  the  sinner's 
helplessness  now,  the  necessity  of  divine  grace,  and  of 
the  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  If  the 
sinner  had  natural  power  to  turn  his  own  heart  from 
depravity  to  holiness  and  faith,  he  would  not  be  help- 
less: for  this  would  secure  his  salvation;  neither  would 
the  Spirit's  influence  be  necessary  to  his  regeneration. 

5.  The  helplessness  of  sinners,  under  condemnation 
for  sin,  their  entire  inability  to  extricate  themselves 
from  the  righteous  judgment  of  God,  does  not  render 
their  condemnation  unjust,  nor  the  penalty  of  the  law 
too  severe.  The  fallen  angels  are  a  standing  demon- 
stration of  this  truth;  the  whole  plan  of  redemption  is 
based  upon  it.     If  it  were  not  so,  Christ  need  not  have 


68 


ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 


sulTcrcd :  for  he  need  not  have  made  an  atonement  for 
sinners  which  justice  could  not  require,  and  for  want 
of  which  the  sinner  could  not  have  been  condemned. 
All  the  facts  which  appear  under  the  divine  govern- 
ment furnish  irresistible  evidence  that  no  helplessness 
or  inability  of  the  guilty  can  affect  the  justice  of  their 
punishment.  The  same  principle  is  found  in  our  civil 
polity.  No  satisfaction  which  is  in  the  power  of  the 
felon  to  make  can  be  accepted  in  place  of  the  penalty 
of  the  law.  Is  he  under  sentence  of  death?  There 
are  no  prescribed  conditions  to  be  performed  on  his 
part  to  procure  his  acquittal  or  pardon.  We  claim 
this  prerogative  for  man;  and  shall  we  deny  it  to  God? 
6.  The  helplessness  of  the  sinner  is  no  discourage- 
ment to  his  seeking  and  obtaining  the  salvation  of  the 
gospel;  but  a  knowledge  of  the  fact  is  necessary  to  this 
purpose.  No  sinner  ever  did  come  to  Christ  without 
this  knowledge  of  his  helpless,  dependent,  and  lost  con- 
dition; they  that  be  whole  have  no  need  of  a  physician. 
Convince  a  man  under  a  malignant  disease,  which  he 
cannot  cure,  that  he  needs  a  physician,  and  point  him 
to  one  that  can  cure  him,  and  do  you  throw  any  obsta- 
cle in  the  way  of  his  recovery?  Do  you  not  promote 
that  object,  and  do  that  which  is  necessary  to  it?  If 
he  believed  he  could  effect  his  own  cure,  he  would 
never  apply  to  a  physician,  and  never  be  healed.  If 
the  sinner  believe  that  he  can  save  himself,  his  proud 
heart  never  sends  him  a  suppliant  to  the  Saviour's  feet  .  | 
If  he  believe  that  he  can  change  his  own  heart  when 
he  will,  or  regenerate  himself,  he  never  does,  he  never 
can  feel  the  necessity  of  surrendering  himself,  and 
falhng  into  the  hands  of  divine  grace,  that  he  may 
be  saved. 


THE   WAY   OF    SALVATION. 


69 


The  helplessness  of  the  sinner  is  the  reason  why  he 
should  come  to  Christ,  a  strong  motive  to  his  coming. 
If  he  cannot  save  himself,  he  must  look  to  God  to  save 
him.  Blind  Bartimeus,  hecause  he  was  helpless,  came 
to  Jesus,  and  received  sight.  His  inability  to  restore 
himself  to  sight,  was  a  great  cause  of  his  coming  to  one 
mighty  to  heal.  The  sick  send  for  a  physician,  because 
they  are  helpless  and  cannot  heal  themselves.  If  the 
sinner  had  power  to  sa,ve  himself,  or  to  do  what  is  neces- 
sary thereto,  he  would  have  no  need  of  coming  to 
Jesus  for  such  a  purpose.  But  now,  as  a  poor,  lost, 
helpless  worm,  and  as  a  guilty  rebel,  he  must  look  to 
Christ,  come  to  him,  and  be  saved  by  him,  through  the 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  by  pardoning  grace, 
or  remain  lost  forever. 

"Lord,  can  a  feeble  helpless  worm 

Fulfil  a  task  so  hard  1 
Tb)'  grace  must  all  the  work  perform, 

And  give  a  free  reward." 

"Lord,  with  this  guilty  heart  of  mine, 

To  thy  dear  cross  I  flee, 
And  to  thy  grace  my  soul  resign, 

To  be  renewed  by  thee." 

How  lamentable  is  it,  that  some  whose  lips  should 
keep  knowledge,  persuade  the  wicked  that  they  have 
natural  power  to  do  every  thing  necessary  to  their  sal- 
vation; and  thus  strengthen  the  hands  of  evil  doers, 
that  they  cannot  turn  from  wickedness.  If  it  be  not  of 
him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God 
that  sheweth  mercy;  if  the  preparation  of  the  heart  in 
man  is  of  the  Lord;  if  salvation  be  of  the  Lord;  then 
one  obstacle  in  the  way  of  a  sinner's  salvation  is 
removed  when  he  is  convinced  of  this  truth. 

6* 


70 


ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 


7.  The  requirements  of  God's  law  are  not  measured 
by  our  ability,  but  by  the  divine  perfections,  by  the 
immutalile  principles  of  eternal  justice.  If  the  limits 
of  our  power  were  the  limits  of  God's  requirements, 
tnen  we  could  have  been  saved  under  the  law,  without 
the  atonement  of  Christ;  then  the  law  had  not  been 
weak  through  the  flesh:  for  justice  must  have  been 
satisfied  with  what  sinners  could  themselves  have  ren- 
dered. The  Spirit  of  truth  has  shown  that  the  obliga- 
tion of  moral  agents  to  be  holy,  is  not  based  upon  any 
power  in  a  moral  agent  to  sanctify  himself,  or  to  change 
his  affections  by  an  act  of  his  will;  but  that  it  is  based 
upon  the  holiness  of  God:  but  as  he  which  hath  called 
you  is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation; 
because  it  is  written,  be  ye  holy;  for  I  am  holy. 

8.  We  learn  from  the  discussion  of  this  subject,  that 
our  Confession  of  Faith  is  in  admirable  accordance  with 
the  fundamental  principles  of  the  gospel,  in  maintaining 
that  a  natural  man,  being  altogether  averse  from  that 
zvhich  is  good,  and  dead  in  sin,  is  not  able,  by  his  own 
strength,  [his  own  natural  power,]  to  convert  himself,  or 
to  prepare  himself  thereunto.  It  is  altogether  and  every 
way  impossible  for  the  sinner  to  render  what  divine 
justice  demands,  or  to  come  to  Christ  without  the  draw- 
ings of  the  Father  and  the  influence  cf  the  Spirit. 

9.  It  is  delightful  to  perceive,  that  in  the  salvation 
of  sinners  according  to  the  gospel,  divine  justice  is  not 
violated,  nor  in  the  least  infringed.  It  was  a  trium- 
pliant  feeling  with  an  inspired  apostle,  that  he  could 
say,  do  we  then  ?nakc  void  the  law  through  faith?     God 

forbid:  yea  we  establish  the  law.  To  preserve  justice 
inviolate,  and  to  maintain  the  honor  of  the  divine 
throne,  our  sins  must  be  condemned,  the  wrath  of  God 


THE   WAY   OF   SALVATION.  71 

must  be  expressed  against  them,  and  the  sentence 
executed.  That  this  might  all  be  done,  they  were 
laid  upon  Christ,  imputed  to  him,  that  they,  being 
condemned  in  him,  and  justice  thus  satisfied,  the 
believer  might  be  justified  and  saved.  If  infinite 
v/isdom  and  benevolence  had  not  devised  this  plan, 
justice  would  have  held  all  our  sinfiil  race  under 
chains  of  darkness  in  eternal  death.  By  the  prin- 
ciple of  imputation,  our  sins  are  condemned,  and  we 
are  justified;  and  God  is  just  in  justifying  the  be- 
liever. The  believer  is  safe;  he  stands  upon  the  rock 
of  ages.  Justice  has  nothing  in  account  against  him. 
It  has  spent  all  its  shafts  upon  his  surety,  his  substi- 
tute, the  God-man.  The  gates  of  glory  stand  wide 
open  for  his  free  and  welcome  admission.  He  shall 
appear  in  glorj",  arrayed  in  the  righteousness  of  God. 
The  Judge,  laying  by  the  stern  robes,  will  shout  in  the 
audience  of  high  heaven.  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my 
Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world. 

10.  The  rays  of  divine  glory  are  mingled  with  gos- 
pel truth,  while  the  goodness  and  wisdom  of  our  hea- 
venly Father  appear  in  his  so  constituting  our  nature 
and  our  relations,  that  the  principle  of  imputation  can 
be  maintained  in  the  divine  moral  government.  If  he 
had  not  founded  this  principle  in  the  constitution  of 
man,  this  relation  to  federal  heads,  no  sinner  could 
have  been  saved;  because  the  demands  of  infinite  jus- 
tice could  not  have  been  rendered. 

The  relation  which  we  bear  to  both  the  first  and  the 
second  Adam  is  the  same.  If  we  can  be  counted 
righteous  for  what  the  second  Adam  did,  then  we  can 
be  counted  sinners  for  what  the  first  Adam  did.     If  the 


72  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

connexion  cannot  hold  in  relation  to  one  of  these  fede- 
ral heads,  it  can  no  more  hold  in  relation  to  the  other: 
for  the  scripture  asserts  that  the  relation  is  the  same  to 
both;  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  he 
made  alive.  As  hy  one  man's  disohedience  many 
were  made  sinners,  .so  hj  the  obedience  of  one  shall 
many  be  made  righteous.  If  we  take  the  wisdom  of 
God,  and  not  the  wisdom  of  men  for  our  guide,  we 
know  that  if  God  had  not  constituted  this  relation  be- 
tween us  and  the  first  Adam,  it  could  not  have  existed 
between  us  and  the  second  Adam;  and  the  song  of 
Moses  and  the  Lamb  had  never  wafted  the  glory  of 
God,  nor  cheered  the  myriad  hosts  of  heaven.  How 
precious  must  this  doctrine  be  to  the  redeemed  chil- 
dren of  God;  how  full  of  grace  in  their  view,  what 
beams  of  divine  goodness  greet  the  vision  of  faith.  The 
gospel  may  be  a  stumbling  block  to  Jews,  and  foolish- 
ness to  Greeks:  but  it  remains  to  saints,  the  zvisdom  and 
the  power  of  God  to  salvation.  These  faint  visions 
now  which  cheer  our  hearts  will,  when  we  shall  no 
more  see  through  a  glass  darkly,  be  changed  from  glory 
to  glory.  With  a  new  and  inconceivably  brighter 
view,  shall  we  exclaim,  O  the  depth  of  the  riches  both 
of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God !  How  unsearch- 
able are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out. 
11.  The  discussion  of  this  subject  lays  open  the 
depth  of  our  depravity,  the  extent  of  our  guilt.  The 
innumerable  catalogue  of  actual  transgressions  which 
we  have  committed  in  the  face  of  heaven,  in  violation 
of  infinite  obligation  to  love  God,  the  best  of  beings, 
and  to  obey  every  precept  of  his  holy  law,  render  us 
justly  obnoxious  to  eternal  death,  and  deserving  the 
treatment  of  rebels.     The  dark  picture  of  our  depravity 


THE    WAY    OF    SALVATION.  73 

and  guilt  is  rendered  still  more  dark  by  our  having  a 
corrupt  and  sinful  nature.  The  man  himself  is  evil; 
an  e~cil  mem,  out  of  the  evil  treasure  of  his  hecirt,  bringeth 
forth  evil  things;  so  that,  previous  to  actual  transgres- 
sion, we  are  hy  nature  the  children  of  wrath.  The 
dark  picture,  already  so  dark,  is  not  yet  drawn.  The 
climax  of  our  guilt  is  reached  by  our  connexion  with 
Adam,  and  partaking  of  his  sin,  whose  disobedience  is 
so  counted  ours,  that  we  are  constituted  sinners  by  it. 
As  he  is  our  federal  head  and  representative,  and  acted 
for  us,  we  are  involved  in  the  guilt  of  his_ transgression; 
as  it  is  written:  in  Adam  all  die*  As  death  is  the 
wages  of  sin,  we  could  not  die  in  Adam,  unless  we 
sinned  in  him.  How  humbling  is  our  condition,  in 
view  of  all  that  defiles  us,  and  renders  us  deserving  of 
wrath  from  heaven.  Well  may  we  exclaim  under  the 
'  soul-humbling  views  of  truth.  Behold  we  are  vile.  O 
wretched  men  that  we  are;  who  shall  deliver  us  from 
the  body  of  this  death?  Well  may  the  sinner  agonize 
under  the  discovery  of  the  magnitude  and  blackness  of 
bis  guilt.  Well  may  he  look  around  him,  to  see  if 
there  be  any  door  of  hope,  any  kind  arm  to  save,  that 
he  perish  not.  Well  may  he  be  aroused  to  the  most 
intense  interest,  and  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come. 

12.  The  power  of  the  holy  Ghost  is  necessary  to 
raise  dead  sinners  to  spiritual  life.  They  are  helpless 
of  themselves,  because  they  are  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins.  It  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth;  the  flesh  [our 
carnal]  nature,  profiteth  nothing;  no  man  can  come  to 
me  except  the  Father,  which  sent  me,  draw  him.  The 
helplessness  of  the  sinner  shows  his  need  of  the  Spirit's 
influence;  because  he  is  dead,  he  can  only  aim  to 
spiritual  life  by  the  Spirit's  power.     Notwithstanding 


74  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

all  that  the  sinner  can  do,  of  himself,  he  is  sinking  un- 
der the  righteous  sentence  of  a  holy  law,  to  the  second 
death;  because  his  carnal  mind  cannot  be  subject  to  the     || 
divine  law.     But  the  goodness  of  God  awakes  the  ear. 
He  sends  the  Holy  Spirit  to  strive  with  men,  whose 
infinite  power  can  restore  them  to  life  and  hope.     The 
work  of  converting  sinners,  and  purifying  their  hearts, 
is  his  delightful  and  glorious  work.     It  was  because  the    | 
sinner  was  helpless,  lost,  and  dead,  that  the  Spirit  was 
sent  upon  the  errand  of  grace.     No  sinner,  therefore, 
can  saj,  that,  if  he  aim  to  seek  mercy  and  help  of  God, 
he  will  not  be  enabled  to  find  salvation,  in  a  day,  an 
hour,  or  a  moment:  for  in  the  Lord  is  help  and  suflPi- 
cient  power  to  raise  the  dead  to  life.     The  millions  of 
miserable  sinners  who  have  come  to  Christ,  and  found 
salvation  by  grace,  were  as  helpless  as  those  who  yet 
remain  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  in  the  bonds  of 
iniquity.     The  moment  the  sinner  discovers  his  misera- 
ble and  helpless  condition,  and  sighs  for  deliverance, 
and  looks  away  to  Christ,  that  moment  the    infinite    I 
Spirit  may  breathe  life  into  his  soul ;  for  he  says,  be- 
hold I  stand  at  the  door,  and  knock:  if  any  man  will 
hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to 
him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me.     Come 
unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor,  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I 
will  give  you  rest. 

Finally,  the  way  of  salvation,  as  taught  in  the  gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ,  is  all  of  grace.  Boasting  and  works  are 
equally  excluded.  Means  are  not  excluded;  but  works 
of  righteousness  for  justification,  the  efficiency  of  mean  s 
and  of  human  efforts,  are  excluded.  When  God  saw 
us  lost,  miserable,  guilty,  and  helpless,  and  doomed  by 
the  holy  demands  of  justice  to  everlasting  destruction, 


THE   WAY   OF   SALVATION.  75 

his  eye  pitied,  and  his  arm  provided  salvation,  by  send- 
ing his  own  Son  to  bear  the  curse  for  us.     This  he  did, 
not  for  any  good  we  had  done,  or  for  any  thing  we  had 
deserved;  but  unasked,  unmerited  by  us,  and  out  of  his 
own  good  pleasure,  for  our  benefit  to  the  praise  of  the 
glory  of  his  grace.     AMien  an  atonement  which  we 
could  not  make  was  necessary  to  our  justification,  he 
provided  it  of  his  own  good  pleasure;  when  we  were 
without  strength,  in  due  time  Christ  died  for  the  un- 
godly.    Salvation,  therefore,  in   plan  and    execution, 
from   commencement  to  completion,   is  all    of  grace. 
The  same  grace  that  can  save  from  one  actual  trans- 
gression can  as  easily  save  from  a  corrupt  nature,  and 
from  imputed  sin.     The  fountain  is  so  full  that  our  ex- 
tensive guilt  imposes  no  obstacle  beyond  what  one  sin 
would  create.     Do  we  need  a  perfect  righteousness,  in 
which  to  stand  before  God  and  be  accepted,  and  which 
we  could  not  provide?     Grace  shows  it,  already  abun- 
dantly provided.     Do  we  need  the  influence   of  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  enable  us  to  repent  of  sin,  and  come  to 
Christ   with  renewed   and   believing   hearts?     Grace 
suppHes  that  need:  the  Holy  Spirit  quickens  whom  he 
will,  and  raises  them  to  spiritual  hfe.     Grace  is  written 
in  every  page  of  the  gospel:  and  to  God,  the  Father  of 
mercies,  the  Redeemer  of  men,  be  all  the  glory  of  pro- 
viding and  effecting  the  salvation  of  men.     The  song 
of  the  Redeemed  in  heaven  will  glow  with  this  theme, 
in  the  endless  joy   of  heavenly   praise.     The    grace 
which  shines  so  resplendent  in  redemption,  will  enkin- 
dle the  warm  emotions  of  love,  gratitude  and  joy:  for 
the  glory  of  God  will  be  seen  and  felt,  in  that  exceeding 
and  eternal  weight  of  glory,  which,  through  grace,  will 
be  bestowed  tipon  creatures  so  unworthy,  and  once  so 


76 


ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 


vile,  and  who  are  raised  to  honor  and  happiness  eternal 
with  God  and  the  holy  angels.  Heaven  will  echo,  glory 
to  God  in  the  highest,  because  peace  and  good  will  to 
men,  by  infinite  grace,  abound  in  all  the  joys  of  the 
redeemed  hosts.     Amen. 


SERMON   V. 

BY  THE    REV.    DA^'IEL   IIAYDEN. 

SEASONABLE    ADMONITION. 

Lay  hands  suddenly  on  no  man  :  neither  be  partaker  of  other  men's  sins : 
Keep  thyself  pure.     1  Tim.  v.  22. 

In  the  biography  of  Paul,  we  know  not  which  most  to 
admire;  his  zeal  for  the  propagation  of  the  gospel,  or 
his  solicitude  for  the  purity  and  peace  of  the  church. 

Timothy,  whom  he  acknowledges  as  a  spiritual  son, 
seems  to  have  imbibed  the  same  spirit.  Paul  says  of 
him,  I  have  no  man  like-minded,  who  will  naturally 
care  for  your  state.     Phil.  ii.  20. 

Their  solicitude  led  them  to  look  out  for  faithful  men 
to  whom  they  might  impart  the  sacred  gift.  2  Tim. 
ii.  2.  "And  the  things  that  thou  hast  heard  of  me, 
among  many  witnesses,  the  same  commit  thou  to  faith- 
ful men,  who  shall  be  able  to  teach  others  also." 

No  one  who  has  read  the  epistles  of  Paul  to  the  Ga- 
latians,  Timothy  and  Titus,  can  be  unapprised  of  the 
fact  that  some  unfaithful  men  had  been  inducted  to  the 


SEASONABLE    ADMONITION.  77 

ministry,  who  had  corrupted  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel, 
and  introduced  schisms  into  the  church.  Jude  speaks 
of  these  as  having  crept  in  unawares,  and  the  24th 
verse  of  this  chapter  seems  to  imply  the  same  fact: 
"some  men's  sins  are  open  beforehand,  going  before- 
hand to  judgment,  and  some  men, they  follow  after." 
Their  character  and  qualifications  had  not  been  suffi- 
ciently developed.  The  necessity  of  caution  in  ordain- 
ing men  to  the  sacred  office  was  apparent.  Whatever 
temptation  Timothy  might  feel,  from  viewing  the  vast 
extent  of  the  fields  frhite  unto  the  harvest,  the  fewness 
of  the  laborers,  or  the  Macedonian  cry,  Paul  enjoins  it 
upon  him  to  lay  hands  suddenly  on  no  man.  This 
course  would  ultimately  defeat  his  benevolent  designs. 

But  these  things  were  written  for  a  memento  to  fu- 
ture ages  of  the  church,  and  are  obligatory  on  us. 
Presbyteries  have  many  temptations  to  act  precipitately 
in  this  solemn  duty. 

As  the  whole  subject  brought  to  view  in  the  verse 
has  an  intimate  connection  with  tlie  injunction,  we  shall, 

I.  Consider  the  nature  of  the  ceremony  of  or- 
dination. 

II.  The  requisite  qualifications  in  the  ca,ndidate. 

III.  The  nature  of  this  participation  and  its  evil 
consequences. 

I.  We  are  to  attend  to  the  rite.  And  here  it  is 
proper  that  we  should  examine  its  origin.  Until  the 
days  of  Moses  we  read  of  no  formula  in  setting  apart 
men  to  the  priestly  office.  The  father  of  a  family,  or 
some  venerable  and  pious  chieftain  appears  to  have 
officiated  at  the  altar.  This  is  apparent  from  the  his. 
tory  of  Noah,  Abraham,  and  Melchisedec.  But  when 
God  was  about  to  settle  Israel  in  the  land  of  promise? 

7 


78  OIHGINAL    SERMONS. 

and  establish  a  more  extensive  ritual  of  divine  service, 
he  called  Aaron :  and  directed  Moses  to  set  him  apart 
as  the  high  priest  of  that  people.  The  ceremony  was 
splendid,  and  performed  in  the  presence  of  the  great 
congregation,  which  he  was  to  serve.  See  Ex.  28th 
and  29th  chapters.  With  this  new  order  of  things 
Korah  and  many  of  the  princes  of  the  tribes  were 
offended.  And  they  said  to  Moses  and  Aaron,  are  not 
all  the  congregation  holy,  every  one  of  them,  and  the 
Lord  is  an.ong  them;  wherefore  then  lift  ye  up  your- 
selves above  the  congregation  of  the  Lord?  But 
Jehovah  vindicated  his  own  institution,  by  inflicting  on 
Korah  and  his  company  a  memorable  judgment.  And 
thus  the  point  was  settled  that  no  man  might  officiate 
as  priest  in  the  church,  unless  called  of  the  Lord.  See 
Num.  16th  chapter.  This  order  continued  until  Christ 
called  and  commissioned  his  disciples  to  go  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  all  nations.  And  they  were  enjoined  to 
tarry  in  Jerusalem  until  they  were  endowed  with  power 
from  on  high.  The  day  of  Pentecost  was  divinely 
appointed  for  their  solemn  inauguration  by  the  visible 
descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  them.  They  then 
commenced  their  ministrations  and  had  many  seals  of 
their  appointment.  Saul  was  soon  after  miraculously 
called,  and  set  apart  by  the  direction  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  And  afterwards  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  set 
apart,  as  evangelists  to  the  heathen,  by  the  immediate 
requisition  of  God.     See  Acts  xii.  3. . 

So  far  we  have  account  of  special  calls  and  ordina- 
tions. But  the  day  of  miracles  and  prophecy  was  to 
cease.  Before  the  inspired  apostles  had  finished  their 
labors^  they  settled  the  principles  on  which  an  ordinary 
ministry  was  to  be  given  to  the  church,  and  continued 


SEASONABLE    ADMO^IT^OX.  79 

till  the  end  of  time.  We  have  special  directions  given 
to  Timothy  and  Titus  on  this  subject;  and  we  have  the 
ceremony  specially  stated  in  the  history  of  the  ordina- 
tion of  Timothy.  See  1  Tim.  iv.  14.  "Neglect  not 
the  gift  that  is  in  thee,  which  was  given  thee  by  pro- 
phecy, with  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  Presby- 
tery."^ See  Acts  xiii.  3;  "And  when  they  had  fasted 
and  prayed,  and  laid  their  hands  upon  them,  they  sent 
them  away."  This  ceremony  of  setting  apart  one 
whom  God  had  called  was  considered  solemn,  as  ap- 
pears from  their  fasting  and  praying.  Like  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  Lord's  supper  and  baptism,  it  is  intended 
no  doubt  to  strongly  impress  our  minds  through  the 
medium  of  our  senses,  that  the  individual  is  the  ambas- 
sador of  Christ.  From  all  these  facts,  it  appears  ordi- 
nations ought  to  be  performed  in  the  presence  of  the 
people  which  the  bishop  is  to  serve,  as  far  as  practica- 
ble.    But 

IL  We  present  some  of  the  qualifications  requisite 
in  the  candidate. 

These  may  be  ranged  under  four  general  heads. 

1st.  We  are  informed  that  no  man  taketh  this  honor 
to  himself  but  he  that  is  called  of  God,  as  was  Aaron. 
Hebrews  v.  4. 

The  same  doctrine  is  implied  in  what  Paul  says  in 
his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians  ch.  xii.  verse  27,  and 
onward.  "  Now  ye  are  the  body  of  Christ,  and  mem- 
bers in  particular;  and  God  hath  set  some  in  the 
church:  first,  apostles;  secondarily,  prof)hets;  thirdly, 
teachers;  after  that,  miracles;  then,  gifts  of  healings, 
helps,  governments,  diversities  of  tongues:  are  all  apos- 
tles? are  all  prophets?  are  all  teachers?  are  all  work- 
ers  of  miracles?  have  all  the  gifts  of  healing?  do  all 


80  OIllGINAL    SERMONS. 

speak  with  tongues?  do  all  interpret?"  And  all  these 
things  agree  with  God's  promise  hy  the  prophet  Jere- 
miah iii.  15.  "And  I  will  give  you  pastors,  according 
to  mine  heart,  which  shall  feed  you  with  knowledge 
and  understanding." 

The  same  doctrine  is  taught  in  Eph.  iv.  11.  Hence 
it  is  evident  that  all  are  not  called  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel. The  hody  has  many  members,  and  divers  gifts 
are  bestowed  by  the  great  head  of  the  church,  for  the 
perfecting  of  the  saints.  This  call  is  then  evidently 
requisite  to  ordination.  The  first  indication  of  this 
call  is  mentioned  by  Paul,  1  Tim.  iii.  1.  "This  is  a 
true  saying,  if  a  man  desire  the  office  of  a  bishop,  he 
desireth  a  good  work."  No  man  is  likely  to  succeed 
well  in  any  occupation,  unless  he  be  pleased  with  it. 
Yet  the  mere  expression  of  such  desire  is  not  a  suffi- 
cient warrant  for  the  Presbytery  to  proceed  to  ordina- 
tion. Many  carnal  motives  may  originate  this  desire: 
even  such  as  influenced  Simon  Magus.  A  desire  for 
elevation  in  society,  a  life  of  supposed  ease,  or  a  thirst 
for  popular  applause,  may  be  at  the  bottom.  Whereas 
a  deep  sense  of  personal  obligation  to  Christ,  for  par- 
doning mercy,  and  bowels  of  compassion  for  immortal 
souls,  ought  to  make  him  v/illing  to  suffer  the  loss  of  all 
things,  and  suffer  all  things  for  the  gospePs  sake.  But 
this  desire  must  be  accompanied, 

2ndly,  By  a  life  of  morality  and  genuine  piety.  He 
must  have  a  good  report  of  those  without.  1  Tim. 
iii.  7.  For  a  l^shop  must  be  blameless  as  the  steward  of 
God;  not  self-willed,)  not  soon  angry,  not  given  to  wine, 
no  striker,  not  given  to  filthy  lucre;  but  a  lover  of  hos- 
pitality, a  lover  of  good  men,  sober,  just,  holy,  tempe- 
rate.    Titus  i.  7 — 8.     But, 


SEASONABLE  ADMONITION. 


81 


3dly.  He  must  be  apt  to  teach.  1  Tim.  iii.  2.  This 
impUes  an  aptness  to  learn,  as  no  one  can  teach  others 
what  himself  knows  not.  Also,  a  facility  of  making 
himself  understood.  The  mind  must  he  disciplined  to 
study,  and  the  art  of  language  well  understood. 

4thly.  He  must  he  sound  in  doctrine;  holding  fast 
the  faithful  word,  as  he  hath  been  taught;  that  he  may 
be  able  by  sound  doctrine  both  to  exhort  and  convince 
the  gainsayers.  Titus  i.  9.  The  excellency  of  Timo- 
thy was,  that  from  a  child  he  had  known  the  holy 
scriptures.  The  doctrine  of  the  candidate  must  be 
the  doctrine  of  the  Bible.  "  To  the  law  and  to  the  tes- 
timony: if  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is 
because  there  is  no  light  in  them.''  Is.  viii.  20,  and  of 
his  soundness  in  doctrine  the  Presbytery  are  judges. 

The  Presbj  terian  Church  have  laid  before  tiie  Vf  orld 
their  vie\^'s  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  the  discipline 
of  the  church,  and  form  of  government.  This  affords 
an  opportunity  to  each  candidate  to  judge  of  the  pro- 
priety of  his  attachment  to  us. 

If  these  views  of  doctrine,  discipline,  and  government 
in  the  mind  of  a  candidate  accord  with  the  faithful 
word,  he  can  act  the  part  of  an  honest  man  in  adopting 
the  confession  as  his  individual  creed.  This  creed  is, 
to  the  Presbytery  adopting  it,  their  standard,  in  receiv- 
ing members  into  their  body.  No  individual  is  under 
necessity  to  adopt  this  confession.  He  is  at  full  liberty 
to  adopt  any  other  creed,  and  attach  himself  to  any 
other  body  of  Christians,  or  form  a  society  of  his  own. 
To  his  own  master  he  standeth  or  falleth. 

5thly.  If  he  wish  to  be  called  as  a  pastor,  he  must 
have  a  call  of  the  church,  and  I  know  not  whether  it  is 
not  indispensable  in  the  case  of  a  missionary.     The 


82  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

whole  church  is  deeply  interested  in  the  result  of  a 
probationer's  trials;  and  as  the  several  parts  of  the 
same  body  of  Christ,  they  should  concur  in  the  deci- 
sion. Their  decision,  in  regard  to  the  probationer's 
qualifications,  consummates  the  evidence  on  which  the 
Presbytery  are  to  act.  When  these  principles  are  ad- 
mitted, it  is  easy  to  see  the  different  part  taken  by  the 
church  and  the  Presbytery,  in  the  Avork  of  ordination 
in  primitive  times.  The  time  of  trials  must  be  such  as 
to  give  sufficient  opportunity  to  all  concerned  to  be 
satisfied  of  the  qualifications  of  the  candidate.  It  is 
then  the  duty  of  the  Presbytery  to  proceed  to  ordi* 
nation.  '-They  will  not  be  partakers  of  his  sins;  and 
they  will  keep  themselves  pure."     But 

III.  We  were  to  speak  of  the  sin  and  evil  conse- 
quences of  precipitancy. 

The  most  faithful  servants  of  Christ  have  their 
temptations  to  encounter  in  this  momentous  concern  of 
the  church. 

The  millions  of  immortal  souls,  hurrying  to  death 
and  the  bar  of  God,  without  a  ray  of  gospel  light  to 
guide  their  path,  the  desolations  of  Zion,  and  the  Mace- 
donian cry,  awaken  the  tcnderest  sensibilities  of  the 
man  of  God.  The  strong  tide  of  feeling  often  sways 
his  better  judgment:  he  lends  his  aid  in  supplying  the 
church  with  an  unsound  or  unqualified  ministry.  Too 
late,  alas!  he  discovers  his  folly  and  regrets  his  pre- 
•cipitancy. 

But  false  maxims  sometimes  lay  a  snare  for  his  feet. 
The  doctrines  of  the  Bible  are  divided  into  two  classes, 
the  one  of  major,  the  other  of  minor  importance.  The 
major  are  thought  to  be  but  few  in  number,  and  un- 
happily,  undefined.     One   thinks  these  major  points 


SEASONABLE    ADMOXITIOX.  83 

are  wholly  matters  of  duty;  another,  principles  of 
theory,  or  both.  The  question  arises,  how  far  may  the 
candidate  be  permitted  to  contradict  the  Confession  of 
Faith,  and  yet  be  ordained.  One  candidate  ditTers  in 
one  point;  another,  in  another.  Still,  they  are  permit- 
ted to  pass,  under  the  appalling  opprobrium  "  will  you 
make  a  man  an  offender  for  a  word?" — foi^etting  that 
the  crime  of  Satayi,  and  that  which  ruined  mankind, 
was  the  little  word,  not,  interpolated  in  the  divine  threat- 
ening; which  made  it  read,  '"Ye  shall  not  surely  die." 

If  the  Confession  of  Faith  contain  a  faithful  summary 
of  divine  truth,  the  candidate  should  not  be  ordained 
who  denies  any  part  of  it;  for  "man  is  not  to  live  by 
bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  which  proceedeth  out 
of  the  mouth  of  the  Lord:'*  and  "a  little  leaven  leaven- 
eth  the  whole  lump.'' 

Another  maxim  coming  into  use  is  that  each  indivi- 
dual has  a  right  to  put  his  own  construction  upon  the 
Confession  of  Faith.  If  this  principle  were  admitted 
at  full  length,  it  would  nullify  not  only  the  Confession 
of  Faith,  but  the  word  of  God.  Every  sect  in  Chris- 
tendom would  claim  protection  under  our  banners. 
And  our  church  would  resemble  the  imao;e  which 
Nebuchadnezzar  saw  in  his  dream.  The  head  was  of 
fine  gold,  the  breast  and  arms  of  silver,  the  belly  and 
thighs  of  brass,  the  legs  of  iron,  and  the  feet  part  iron 
and  part  clay;  and  it  would  share  the  same  fate. 
This  maxim,  however,  is  true  under  two  restrictions, 
viz:  1.  Such  construction  must  not  contradict  other 
doctrines  exhibited  in  that  formula,  nor  the  word  of 
God.  2.  It  must  be  subject  to  the  decisions  of  the 
judicatories  of  the  church.  This  is  all  the  liberty  an 
individual  can  claim,  remainins:  a  member  of  the  Pres- 


84  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

bjteriaii  Church,  and  all  that  an  honest  mind  should 
wish.  If,  indeed,  it  he  found  that  the  Confession  of 
Faith  contains  any  doctrine  repugnant  to  the  Bible, 
our  duty  is,  to  amend  it.  It  pretends  not  to  infallibility. 
But  it  shows  a  manifest  want  of  candor,  to  profess 
before  God  and  man  to  believe  its  correctness,  and 
then,  in  preaching,  to  oppose  its  most  obvious  meaning. 

In  these  dnys,  the  march  of  mind  is  such  that  the 
Gnostic  perceives,  with  all  the  blaze  of  noonday  sun, 
that  the  labors  of  the  Reformers  are  but  the  twilight 
discovery  of  divine  truth;  and  that  Pelagius  and  his 
followers  were  the  brightest  luminaries  of  the  ancient 
church.  Indeed,  it  would  appear  that  the  most  pious 
labors  of  reformers,  for  300  years,  have  only  cast  a 
thick  veil  over  the  Bible.  Even  the  man  who  has  never 
read  his  Bible  through,  sees  clearly  that  the  Confession 
of  Faith  does  not  accord  with  the  word  of  God. 

When  human  reason  sits  as  an  umpire  to  decide  on 
doctrines,  and  its  fruitful  constructive  genius,  to  trans- 
late the  scriptures  in  accordance  with  philosophy,  we 
are  sitting  on  the  slippery  steeps  which  landed  the 
ancient  church  in  mystic  Babylon.  Soon  her  churches 
were  filled  with  the  images  of  heathen  Gods,  converted 
into  Christian  saints,-  and  the  Saviour^s  blood  was 
exchanged  for  the  prayers  of  saints,  and  the  Purgatorial 
fires  of  Paganism. 

Another  temptation  to  improper  licensures  and  ordi- 
nations, IS  the  fear  of  singularity,  the  love  of  ease,  and 
a  fear  of  reproach. 

When  error  has  gained  ascendancy,  every  thing 
which  can  wound  a  man's  feelings,  every  thing  that 
can  excite  popular  prejudice  against  the  man  who  at- 
tempts to  withstand  the  inundation,  will  be  employed. 


SEASONABLE    ADMONITION.  85 

These  are  sometimes  as  appalling  as  the  martyr's  stake 
or  the  despot's  dungeon. 

Here  are  strong  temptations  to  swerve  from  the 
path  of  duty.  Nothing  but  a  sense  of  final  account 
can  support  him. 

Agciin :  as  the  church  takes  part  in  the  trials  of  can- 
didates, and  give  their  verdict,  so  they  also  are  liable 
to  participate  in  the'  abovenamed  sin.  The  same 
temptations  to  neglect  duty  offer  themselves.  A  be- 
loved disciple,  who  was  by  no  means  a  striker,  left  the 
churches  the  solemn  warning  not  to  receive  into  their 
houses  nor  bid  God  speed  to  the  man  who  hath  not  the 
doctrine  of  his  master.  This  will  apply  emphatically 
to  the  commendation  they  may  give  an  unworthy 
licentiate. 

What  is  here  said  of  candidates  and  licentiates  is 
also  implied  in  receiving  those  who  are  already  or- 
dained. A  leading  principle  of  the  Presbyterian 
government  is,  that  the  Presbytery  is  the  only  door  of 
entrance  to  the  ministry,  and  judge  of  the  qualifications 
of  her  own  members.  No  minister  of  a  different  Pres- 
bytery can  labor  within  her  bounds  without  liberty. 
8till,  there  is  an  understanding  that,  as  the  church  is 
one,  ministers  whose  good  standing  is  credibly  attested 
may  be  received  into  another.  But  when  a  minister 
is  received  on  testimonials,  that  testimonv  is  received 
in  place  of  a  course  of  trials.  The  judgment  of  an- 
other Presbytery  is  assumed  as  her  own.  Now,  when 
the  testimony  claims  full  credit,  the  sin  above  cited  is 
avoided.  But  whenever  the  testimony  is  suspicious, 
the  Presbytery  ought  to  have  satisfaction  some  other 
way.  Vie  deem  the  reception  of  a  minister  from  an- 
other body  equivalent  to  an  ordination.     The  transac- 


86  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

tion  is  virtually  a  commendation  of  the  received  brother, 
to  all  the  churches,  as  a  good  man  and  a  sound  divine. 

And  here  we  have  to  lament  that  the  supreme  judi- 
catory of  our  church,  by  terms  of  correspondence  with 
other  churches,  obstruct  the  path  of  duty.  These 
terms  of  correspondence  require  us  to  receive  ordained 
ministers  from  those  bodies,  differing  among  themselves 
and  from  us,  in  their  creeds  and  government,  upon 
their  giving  assent  to  some  general  questions  intended 
to  be  put  to  candidates  after  they  have  passed  through 
a  course  of  trials,  at  the  hour  of  ordination. 

By  the  application  of  the  new  laws  of  construction, 
we  admit  members  without  becoming  acquainted  with 
their  faith.  Hence,  loss  of  confidence  and  a  variety  of 
evils  arise.  Over  the  soundness  of  all  her  Presbyte- 
ries the  General  Assembly  has  control;  but  none  over 
a  consociation.  These  consociations  are  liable  to 
become  corrupt;  and  the  evil  may  wax  worse  and 
worse.  Thus  the  faithful  Presbyter  finds  the  path  of 
duty  much  obstructed,  and  feels  many  temptations  to 
become  partaker  of  other  men'^  sins. 

Finally,  brethren,  let  us  watch  and  pray,  lest  we  enter 
into  temptation.  Let  us  not  be  weary  in  well-doing; 
for  in  due  time  we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not.  Let  us 
recollect  that  by  our  unfaithfulness  in  our  stewardship, 
we  may  be  instrumental  in  restoring  the  dark  ages  of 
the  church,  and  ruin  many  precious  souls.  Let  us  be 
careful  not  to  nullify  God's  laws  by  our  views  of  expe- 
diency. We  should  bear  in  mind  that  holiness,  with- 
out which  no  man  can  enter  glory,  stands  intimately 
connected  with  truth.  Let  us  never  seek  applause  by 
inventing  new  and  metaphysical  theories;  and  thus 
perplex  the  minds  of  gospel  hearers.  ^  In  all  our  minis- 


FULFILMENT    OF    THE   MINISTRY.  87 

trations  let  us  retain,  as  far  as  practicable,  the  words 
and  style  of  the  Bible. 

And  whilst  we  earnestly  contend  for  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints,  let  us  not  contend  for  mere 
matters  of  opinion.  Where  God  has  fixed  the  boun- 
daries of  divine  knowledge,  let  us  cheerfully  stop,  and 
not  try  to  be  wise  above  what  is  written. 

And,  finally,  let  us  keep  in  mind  that  we  are  soon  to 
give  an  account  of  our  stewardship.  Then  the  man, 
who,  seeking  his  own  honor  and  ease,  has  floated  down 
the  muddy  stream  of  popular  applause,  shall  land  in  the 
gulf  of  black  despair. 

Whilst  the  man  who  counted  all  things  loss  for  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  died  a  mar- 
tyr for  truth,  shall  wear  a  resplendent  crown  of  glory, 
and  shine  as  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude  in  the  king- 
dom of  God. 


SERMON   VI. 

BY   THE   REV.   JAMES    HALL   BROOKES/ 

I  FULFILMENT    OF    THE    MINISTRY. 

I 

I      And  say  to  Arcliippus,  Take  heed  to  the  ministry  which  thou  hast  received 
in  the  Lord,  that  thou  fulfil  it.     Col.  iv.  17. 

\     It  is  an  unsettled  inquiry,  why  Paul  directed  the  pointed 
message  of  the  text  to  be  delivered  to  Archippus. 

The  language,  in  our  conception,  contains  the  ele- 
ments of  a  gentle  rebuke.     Archippus,  probably,  had 


88  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

been  recently  inducted  into  the  office  of  the  ministry; 
and  had  thus  become  the  bishop  or  overseer  of  the 
church  at  Colosse.  Unhke  the  apostle,  who  burned 
with  an  inextinguishable  zeal  in  the  fulfilment  of  the 
ministry,  and  who  went  fearlessly  onward  in  the  com- 
pletion of  the  great  work  to  which,  as  one  born  out  of 
due  time,  he  had  been  called,  Archippus,  we  suppose, 
had  betrayed  symptoms  of  timidity,  or  indolence,  in 
discharging  the  duties  to  which  he  had  been  conse- 
crated. The  apostle,  therefore,  vigilant  for  the  de- 
fence of  the  gospel,  of  which  he  would  conjure  him  not 
to  be  ashamed,  and  solicitous  that  he  should  not  be 
intimidated  by  the  impediments  which  began  to  rise 
before  him,  sent  a  special  message  to  the  church  of  the 
Colossians,  directing  them  to  charge  Archippus  to  buc- 
kle on  the  harness,  and  go  forth  to  the  conflict.  He 
would  have  him  reminded  of  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
which  he  had  taken  to  his  king — the  captain  of  salva- 
tion, to  the  sacramental  hosts  of  God's  elect — an  oath, 
by  which  he  had  bound  himself  to  be  faithful  until 
death. 

The  ministry  of  the  gospel  is  the  exhibition  of  the 
mercy  of  Jehovah  to  this  fallen  world.  Alienated  and 
estranged,  enemies  and  rebels,  its  people  are  exposed 
to  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  to  be  poured  out  without 
mixture,  upon  every  unreclaimed  apostate  in  his  em- 
pire; and  which  will  be  rained  upon  all  such,  in  one 
unmitigated  tempest  of  fire  and  brimstone  forever  and 
ever.  This  ministry  of  mercy  and  of  reconciliation  is 
received  from  the  Lord.  To  him  are  they  accounta- 
ble who  have  entrusted  to  them  a  dispensation  of  this 
grace  of  God,  for  the  manner  in  which  they  perform 
the    high    and    holy   trust.      Faithful,  untiring,  and 


FULFILMENT   OF    THE    ^UXISTRV.  89 

i,,- devoted,  his  ministers  may  assuredly  expect  his  pre- 
sence along  with  them,  as  they  go  forth  through  this 
revolted  world,  proclaiming,  "Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  and  good  will  to  men.*' 
The  author  of  the  ministry  is  and  will  be  with  such 
ministers  till  the  end  of  time.  Unfaithful,  tiring,  and 
undevoted,  the  curse  of  heaven  rests  upon  them  here, 
and  it  will  light  upon  them  in  all  its  withering  energy, 
throughout  eternity.  What  untold,  unknown  horrors 
will  eternally  seize  upon  their  guilty  souls,  as  they 
realize  every  moment,  through  ceaseless  duration,  that, 
having  preached  the  gospel  to  others,  they  are  them- 
selves cast  away — away  from  light,  and  life,  and  peace, 
and  glory,  into  darkness,  and  death,  and  despair,  and 
everlasting  contempt.  How  insupportably  dreadful 
the  condition!  And  what  a  powerful  inducement 
does  it  present  to  the  minister  of  the  gospel,  to  be 
faithful  in  the  fulfilment  of  his  sacred  work !  Let  all 
the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  then,  take  heed  to  the 
ministry  which  they  have  received  in  the  Lord,  that 
they  fulfil  it. 

The  execution  of  this  trust,  we  imagine,  consists  in 
two  things;  matter  and  manner. 

We  will  proceed,  therefore,  to  illustrate  the  obliga- 
tion of  the  minister  of  the  gospel,  involved  in  the  gene- 
ral charge,  as  it  is  contained  in  these  two  cardinal  facts. 

I.  The  matter  included  in  fulfilling  the  ministry. 

It  is  ob^-ious,  then,  that  the  doctrines  and  facts  of 
the  Bible  are  the  matter,  of  vdiich  every  exhibition, 
made  by  the  minister  of  the  gospel,  is  to  be  composed. 
It  will,  surely,  not  be  understood  to  be  intimated,  that 
«11  the  doctrines  and  facts  of  Revelation  are  to  be  pre- 
sented, and  illustrated  in  all  their  bearinsjs  and  con- 

.8 


90  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

nexions,  in  every  sermon  which  the  minister  deHvers# 
Such  a  project  would  require  more  time  for  its  accom- 
phshment  than  is  ordinarily,  allotted  to  human  life. 
Nor  is  it  intended  that  the  doctrines  and  facts  of  the 
Bible  are  of  equal  importance;  and  that  therefore  they 
are  to  receive  an  equal  degree  of  attention  in  the  dis- 
charge of  the  ministry.  But  it  is  intended  and  main- 
tained, that  no  sermon  is  to  offer  any  sentiment  as  a 
doctrine  of  the  Bible,  which  is  not  explicitly  taught  in 
the  Bible.  Of  course,  therefore,  all  assumptions,  and 
inferences,  and  theories,  and  the  whole  family  of  ques- 
tionable origin  are  positively  excluded  from  the  legiti- 
mate fulfilment,  of  the  ministry.  It  is,  moreover, 
intended  and  maintained  that  there  are  certain  doc- 
trines and  facts  of  the  Bible,  which  are  so  fundamental 
in  the  Christian  system,  and  so  essential  to  its  very 
existence,  that  the  omission  of  them  in  any  sermon  is  a 
flagrant  dereliction  of  the  obligation  to  fulfil  the 
ministry  which  has  been  received  in  the  Lord. 

And  here  it  may  be  expected  that  some  specification 
of  those  regarded  of  this  description  should  be  made. 
We  shall  not  therefore  shrink,  delicate  as  may  be  the 
task,  from  a  frank  and  unreserved  expression  of  our 
own  sentiments  in  relation  to  this  most  important 
matter. 

As  the  existence  and  government  of  God  are  ac- 
knowledged by  all  beings,  except  that  non-descript  in 
the  universe,  the  Atheist;  and  as  they  are,  in  some 
form  or  other,  recognized  in  every  mode  of  ministration 
in  the  pulpit;  we  presume  them,  for  the  present, 
as  conceded. 

1.  We  observe,  then,  that  the  ministry  of  the  gospel 
is,  to  preach  Christ  Jesus,  the  Lord,  in  his  true  character 


FULFILMENT   OF   THE    MINISTRY.  91 

of  God-man,  and  himself  the  servant  of  the  church, 
for  Jesus'  sake.  Christ  is  to  be  the  Alpha  and  the 
Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  ending  of  all  his  minis- 
trations, private  and  public,  social  and  official.  His 
doctrines  are  to  be  explained  and  defended;  his  pre- 
cepts are  to  be  enforced  and  obeyed;  and  his  example 
is  to  be  imitated  and  recommended  in  the  deportment 
of  him  who  would  so  take  heed  to  the  ministry,  as  that 
it  be  fulfilled.  To  preach  Christ  in  his  true  character, 
in  his  person  and  offices,  is  the  capital  article  in  the 
commission  given  by  the  Lord  to  his  ministers,  as  he 
sends  them  forth  to  preach  the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture. As,  therefore,  they  hope  themselves  to  escape, 
and  to  save  others  from  eternal  damnation,  they  are  to 
believe  and  to  inculcate  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  com- 
plete essentiality  v\'ith  God  the  Father,  his  full  equality 
with  him  in  power  and  in  glory.  "  For  he  is  the  bright- 
ness of  the  Father's  glory  and  the  express  image  of  his 
person."  In  this  supremely  exalted  character  has 
Christ  been  preached,  ever  since  the  first  intimation  of 
mercy  was  affiDrded  to  fallen  Adam.  Enoch,  the  seventh 
from  Adam,  preached  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  in  touching 
sublimity,  when  he  exclaimed,  "Behold!  the  Lord 
cometh  with  ten  thousand  of  his  saints  to  execute 
judgment  upon  all."  "A  prophet,"  said  the  legislator 
of  Israel,  "shall  the  Lord  your  God  raise  up  unto  you, 
of  his  brethren,  like  unto  me:  him  shall  ve  hear  in  all 
things  whatsoever  he  shall  say  unto  you."  But  time 
need  not  be  consumed  in  these  specifications.  Every 
patriarch  and  prophet,  every  priest  and  Levite,  every 
judge  and  king,  every  minister,  called  of  God,  as  was 
Aaron,  under  the  old  dispensation,  preached  Christ, 
the  Lord  of  glory,  the   mighty  God,  the  everlasting 


92  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace.  We  need  not  stay  to 
exhihit  the  matter  touching  Christ,  embodied  in  the 
sermons  of  the  evangehsts,  and  apostles,  and  seventy 
disciples,  and  every  minister  of  the  new  dispensation 
who  was  counted  faithful  being  put  into  the  ministry. 
What  an  edifying  example  do  they  furnish  of  the  man- 
ner of  preaching  of  Christ,  the  salvation  of  God,  to 
his  redeemed  people.  Let  us  hear  the  word  of  God, 
as  they  uttered  it,  being  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
"other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid, 
which  is  Jesus  Christ.  And  they  shall  call  his  name 
Emrrianuel,  which,  being  interpreted,  is,  God  with  us, 
Christ  came,  who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  forever. 
Amen.  Who  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  no 
robbery  to  be  equal  with  God."  If,  therefore,  any 
man  or  angel  preach  not  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  su- 
preme divinity  and  perfect  humanity  united  in  one  glo- 
rious person,  making  the  second  of  the  adorable  Trinity 
of  persons  in  the  eternal  Godhead,  he  shall  be  accursed; 
"for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it."  Ah!  if 
the  anathema  of  Jehovah  shall  descend,  at  the  final 
maranatha,  in  the  thunder  of  wrath  upon  the  layman 
sinner,  who  believes  not,  and  loves  not  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  in  ^^hat  redoubled  volleys  will  it  not  break  upon 
the  devoted  head  of  tlic  preaching  sinner,  who  denies, 
and  derides,  and  vilifies  the  majesty  of  the  king  of  kings, 
the  Lord  of  hosts!  O  yes,  upon  his  horror-stricken  and 
guilty  soul  will  be  poured  out  all  the  plagues  which  are 
written  in  the  book  of  God.  Let  every  minister  take 
heed  to  ihe  ministry  which  he  has  received,  in  this  most 
vital  point,  that  he  fulfil  it. 

2.  We  next  advert  to  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement, 
as  of  pre-eminent  importance  in  the  fulfilment  of  the 


FULFILMENT    OF    THE    MINISTRY.'  93 

ministry.  As  to  the  extent  of  the  atonement,  it  is,  per- 
haps, not  so  strictly  correct  to  consider  it  with  refer- 
ence to  a  specific  number,  for  whose  benefit  it  is 
designed,  as  in  reference  to  the  law  and  justice  of  God: 
being  a  device,  by  which  the  penalty  of  the  one  and 
the  claims  of  the  other  are  fully  satisfied  in  the  person 
of  a  surety;  while  a  door  of  mercy  and  of  hope  is 
opened  to  a  dying  world.  If  the  distinction  sometimes 
made,  more  especially  between  the  atonement  proper 
and  its  immediate  and  necessary  result  in  behalf  of 
God's  people, — reconciliation  between  God  and  the 
sinner, — be  tenable,  we  are  the  more  persuaded,  that 
we  advance  the  correct  view  of  the  atonement  itself. 
It  is  not  meant  to  be  asserted,  that  the  number  savingly 
interested  in  the  atonement  is  not  so  certain  and  defi- 
nite, as  that  it  can  eilher  be  increased  or  diminished. 
But  it  i^  meant  that,  were  this  number  far  less  than  it 
really  is,  the  Saviour,  so  far  as  we  can  comprehend  the 
mystery  of  godliness,  could  not  have  been  exempted 
from  a  single  pang  which  he  endured  in  paying  the 
debt  of  penal  sufferings  to  the  law  and  justige  of  God, 
And  were  the  number  far  greater  than  it  will  ultimately 
be  found  to  be,  nothing  more  than  he  did  could  have 
been  required  of  the  Saviour,  to  render  a  perfect  obe- 
dience to  the  law  and  justice  of  God.  We  maintain, 
BS  essential  to  the  very  nature  of  atonement  for  sin,  the 
great  principles  of  literal  substitution,  of  vicarious  suf- 
I  fering,  and  of  proper  and  full  satisfaction  to  the  law 
and  justice  of  God.  This  sentiment  is,  in  our  estima- 
tion, most  happily  taught  in  our  incomparable  Confes- 
sion of  Faith.  "  The  Lord  Jesus,  by  his  perfect  obe- 
dience and  sacrifice  of  himself,  which  he,  through  the 
eternal  Spirit,  once  offered  up  unto  God,  hath  fully 

8^ 


94  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

satisfied  the  justice  of  his  Father,  and  purchased,  not 
only  rcconcihation,  but  an  everlasting  inheritance  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  for  all  those  whom  the  Father 
hath  given  him."  It  is  perceived,  no  doubt,  that  we 
utterly  repudiate  the  modern  notion,  that  tlie  atone- 
ment is  a  mere  display  of  the  perfections  of  Deity,  and 
an  exhibition  of  the  results  of  sin.  So  f^ir  as  a  display 
and  exhibition  of  this  kind  are  only  intended,  we  per- 
ceive not  why  they  are  not,  this  moment,  being  made, 
by  every  fallen  spirit,  angel  and  man,  in  the  prison  of 
hell.  No  intelligence  in  the  universe,  as  he  hears  those 
groans  which  outlast  the  spheres,  and  witnesses  that 
anguish  that  will  be  but  just  begun  when  time  shall  be 
no  more,  will  have  any  doubt  as  to  the  consequences  of 
sin.  Nor  will  he  be  destitute  of  a  most  awful  display 
of  the  perfections  of  the  great  God.  And  think  you 
the  hopeless  subjects  of  such  perdition  will,  themselves, 
not  realize  the  perfections  of  God,  and  the  results  of 
sin  in  dread  reality?  A  perfectly  innocent  and  holy 
being  could  not  therefore  suffer,  as  did  the  eternal  Son 
of  God,  by  way  of  simple  display  and  exhibition.  O 
no.  "He  endured  most  grievous  torments  immediately 
in  his  soul,  and  most  painful  sufferings  in  his  body;  was 
crucified  and  buried,"  that  he  might  redeem  his  people 
from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  them. 
If  such  is  the  representation  which  Christ  himself  has 
given  of  the  nature  and  design  of  his  own  sufferings  and 
death;  then  such  is  the  representation  which  his  minis- 
ters should  always  make  of  these  amazing  transactions. 
Any  other  representation,  of  course,  cannot  be  the  ful- 
filment of  the  ministry,  in  this  respect,  which  has  been 
received  in  the  Lord. 

3.  We  will  now  notice,  for  a  moment,  the  doctrine 


FULFILMENT    OF    THE    MINISTRY.  95 

of  depravity.  By  depravity  is  intended  "  the  sinfulness 
of  that  estate  whereinto  man  fell,  which  consists  in  the 
guilt  of  Adam's  first  sin,  the  want  of  original  righteous- 
ness, and  the  corruption  of  his  whole  nature,  which  is 
commonly  called  original  sin;  together  with  all  actual 
transgressions  which  proceed  from  it:  that,  the  covenant 
being  made  with  Adam,  not  only  for  himself,  hut  for  his 
posterity;  all  mankind,  descending  from  him  by  ordi- 
nary generation,  sinned  in  him,  and  fell  with  him,  in 
his  first  transgression.  From  this  original  corruption, 
whereby  all  men  are  indisposed,  disabled,  and  made 
opposite  to  all  good,  and  wholly  inciined  to  all  evil,  do 
proceed  all  actual  transgressions.*'  Every  sin,  whether 
original  or  actual,  is  either  a  positive  transgression  of 
the  law  of  God,  or  an  absolute  want  of  conformity 
thereunto.  In  either  case,  the  subject  of  the  peccancy 
is  exposed  to  the  penalty  of  the  law,  w  hich  is  the  wrath 
and  curse  of  God,  both  in  this  life  and  that  which  is  to 
come. 

Now,  on  what  continent,  in  what  island  or  peninsula, 
in  what  clime,  or  in  what  sequestered,  happy  spot,  can 
we  be  presented  with  the  rare  specimen  of  a  descend- 
ant of  Adam,  unxorrupted  and  unsinful?  It  is  true, 
that  a  notion,  a  mere  assumption,  without  a  particle  of 
evidence  for  its  support  except  tlic  favor  of  great  names, 
is  maintained  on  this  fundamental  article  of  the  Chris- 
tian system;  which  seems  to  us  to  be  alike  at  variance 
both  with  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible,  and  with  the  inevi- 
table deductions  of  sober  reason.  The  notion  to  which 
we  re  fer  is  the  dogma,  that  depravity  consists,  exclu- 
sively, in  the  state  of  the  heart,  and  does  not  exist-  pre- 
viously to  the  exercise  of  the  voluntary  powers.  The 
Bible,  as  we  verily  suppose,  does  not  teach  us,  that  at 


96  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

the  moment  and  by  the  fact  of  the  commencement  of 
our  voluntary  operations,  we  become  depraved.     Nay 
truly;  but  it  teaches  us  that  we  were  conceived  in  sin, 
and  brought  forth  in  iniquity.    Unless,  therefore,  human 
beings  are  voluntary  agents  in  their  own  conception, 
and   at  their  own  birth,  they  are  depraved  before  the 
exercise  of  volition  commences.     From  this  conclusion, 
it  is  confidently  believed  there  is  no  possible  escape, 
except  it  be  under  cover  of  a  sophism.     And  hence  it 
is  sometimes  attempted  to  be  eluded  by  the  quaint  eva- 
sion, that  moral  agency  begins  much  earlier  than  we 
are  accustomed  to  imagine  it  does.     This  is  a  puerile 
thought,  and  touches  not  the  difficulty;  nor    does    it 
reach  the  conclusion.     But  a  more  dexterous  parry  is 
shown  in  alleging,  that  voluntary  agency  is  essential  to 
the  very  existence  of  human  beings;  and  that  therefore 
sin  is  still  the  result  of  choice.     As  this  is  a  naked  as- 
sertion, without  the  shadow  of  proof,  it  would  certainly 
not  be  unfair  treatment  to  pass  it  without  farther  no- 
tice.    Still,  as  it  is  specious  in  the  opinion  of  some,  it 
may  merit  an  additional  thought.     Let  it  be  particu- 
larly remembered,  then,  that  the  conclusion  which  we 
are  defending,  regards  depravity  as  coetaneous  with 
human  existence — even  in  its  remotest  embryo.     If, 
therefore,  the  notion  whose  validity  we  are  now  exa- 
mining were  tenable,  it  would  only  follow  that  depravity 
and  free  agency  are  simultaneous  attributes  of  human 
nature.     And  then  it  would  be  as  good  logic,  and  per- 
haps better   Theology,   to   predicate  free  agency   of 
depravity,  as  to  predicate  depravity  of  free  agency. 
The  truth  seems  to  be,  that  depravity  is  essential  to 
human  existence,  ever  since  the  fall  of  Adam;  while 
there  is  a  period  of  this  existence,  whose  precise  meta- 


FULFILMEJiT    OF    THE    ^HNISTRY.  97 

physical  character  is  involved  in  mystery,  which  vf  e 
cannot  penetrate.  And  during  this  period,  so  far  as 
the  laws  of  mental  operations  are  known  to  our  world, 
voluntary  agency  cannot,  in  any  sense,  he  an  attribute 
of  the  being  in  question.  Or,  if  such  agency  belong  to 
such  being  at  all,  it  does  most  indubitably  belong  to  it 
in  a  mode  -wholly  different  from  that  in  which  it 
belongs  to  those  of  the  race  who  have  passed  the  pe- 
riod now  contemplated.  It  is,  in  our  view,  utterly 
inconsistent  and.  gratuitous  to  limit  either  holiness,  or 
sinfulness,  to  any  one  power,  or  faculty,  or  affection  of 
the  soul.  It  is  the  state  of  the  entire  man,  in  either 
case,  which  constitutes  the  true  character.  And, 
therefore,  neither  sinfulness  nor  holiness  consists  exclu- 
sively in  the  state  of  the  heart;  nor  yet  is  either  of  them 
the  simple  and  direct  result  of  voluntary  operations; 
but  the  exhibition  of  the  real  condition  of  the  whole 
man.  Such,  then,  in  our  estimation,  is  the  only  view 
of  this  all-important  and  radical  doctrine,  which  will 
be  a  fulfilment  of  the  ministry  which  has  been  received 
in  the  Lord. 

4.  We  notice,  next,  the  doctrine  and  fact  of  man's 
utter  inability  to  recover  himself  from  the  ruins  of  his 
apostacy.  By  inability,  we  m.ean  a  total  absence  of  all 
strength,  or  power,  or  competency  whatever,  on  the 
part  of  man,  to  recover  what  he  has  lost  by  his  depravity, 
and  to  restore  himself  to  the  favor  of  God,  which 
indeed  would  be  to  recover  the  sum  total  of  his  loss. 
The  distinction,  therefore,  so  generally  made,  between 
what  are  denominated  natural  and  moral  ability,  we 
have  ever  regarded  as  futile,  and  without  foundation 
in  fact.  If  the  sinner  were  inclined,  with  the  strength 
of  an  angel,  to  recover  himself  from  his  depravity,  he 


98 


ORIGINAL  SER3IONS. 


would,  in  our  opinion,  be  perfectly  incompetent  to  the 
mighty  task.  We,  of  course,  do  not  admit  that  the 
obligation  of  the  sinner  to  obey  God  rests  either  on  his 
natural  or  moral  ability  to  render  such  obedience. 
This  obligation  originates  in  the  nature  of  the  God  of 
heaven,  and  that  of  rational  beings,  as  he  constituted 
them;  and  binds  all  of  them,  holy  and  unholy,  able  and 
unable,  to  obey,  unless  those  unable  to  perform  were 
disabled  by  God  himself.  The  doctrine,  that  the  obli- 
gation of  the  sinner  to  obey  the  law  of  God,  rests  on  his 
natural  ability  to  render  the  required  obedience,  and 
is,  therefore,  urgent,  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of 
such  ability,  is,  in  our  most  solemn  conviction,  not  only 
grossly  absurd,  but  is  fraught  with  the  most  mischievous 
tendencies.  Make  the  supposition  that  the  sinner 
should  will  away  his  natural  a])ility  to  obey  God,  then 
his  obligation  to  obey  would  be  utterly  cancelled, 
according  to  the  theory  now  under  review.  We  should 
thus  be  presented  with  the  very  singular  paradox  of 
that,  which  is  the  sinner's  only  crime,  his  free  choice, 
being,  at  the  same  time,  his  full  indemnity.  They  who 
ascribe  so  much  to  free  volition,  may  well  look  impar- 
tially at  this  dilemma.  But  even  admitting,  that  our 
view  of  this  thing  is  not  defensible,  what  is  gained  by 
a  tenacious  adherence  to  the  chimera  of  natural  ability? 
Its  projectors  have  ever  ingenuously  admitted  that  such 
is  the  degree  of  man's  moral  inability  to  obey  God, 
that  it  is  absolutely  out  of  his  power  to  remove  this  want' 
of  power  to  perform  his  duty.  And  thus  is  it  main- 
tained, that  the  sinner  has  the  power  to  do  that  which 
it  is,  at  the  same  time,  conceded  he  has  not  the  power 
to  do.  Or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  it  is  maintained 
that  the  sinner  has  natural  power  to  do  that  which  his 


FULFILMENT    OF    THE    31INISTRY.  99 

moral  impotency  renders  absolutely  impracticable. 
Besides,  what  a  strange  infelicity  of  phraseology  is  it,  to 
talk  of  a  sinner  having  natural  ability  to  perform 
spiritual  acts?  And  still  farther,  if  God  could  not 
make  Adam  or  any  other  creature  holy  or  unholy  in 
nature;  nay,  if  he  himself  is  not  holy  in  nature,  but  only 
in  inclination,  what  jargon  is  it  to  talk  of  ability  or 
inability  of  nature!  It  is  not  for  us  to  bring  these 
divergent  lines  together.  In  the  mean  time,  we  are 
assured  that  *••  when  we  were  yet  without  strength,  in 
due  time  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly."  The  word 
strength  is  a  generic  term,  and  of  course  includes  every 
species  of  ability  predicable  of  the  race.  In  the  con- 
nexion in  which  it  is  found,  as  we  have  quoted  the 
passage,  it  signifies  a  total  want  of  all  power,  being 
expressive  of  the  state  of  death,  of  vvhich  ability  can- 
not, in  any  sense,  be  affirmed.  And  this  is  that  total, 
utter  helplessness  which  reduces  sinners  to  the  condi- 
tion of  absolute  and  unqualified  dependence  on  the 
sovereign  grace  of  God,  for  deliverance  from  ruin ;  and 
which  renders  the  bestowment  of  this  grace  so  rich 
and  glorious  a  display  of  heaven's  beneficence  to 
wretched  man.  Let  this  momentous  topic,  therefore, 
be  candidly  examined  in  the  light  of  the  Bible.  And 
let  every  minister  of  the  gospel,  in  this  respect  also, 
take  heed  to  the  ministry  which  he  has  received  in  the 
Lord,  that  he  fulfil  it. 

5.  We  come,  in  the  next  place,  to  the  doctrine  of 
the  renewal  of  man's  nature  by  the  agency  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  is  the  true  source  of  all  his  ability, 
.whether  natural  or  moral,  to  obey  the  holy  law  of  God. 
It  should  ever  be  borne  in  solemn  remembrance,  that 
in  whatever  degree  the  sinner  possesses  ability  to  per- 


100  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

form  his  duty,  in  the  same  degree,  is  the  necessity  of 
the  influence  of  the  spirit  of  God  to  enahle  him  to  do 
this  work,  diminished.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
then,  that  they  who  most  highly  extol  the  sinner's  own 
ability,  should  renounce  the  doctrine  of  the  direct  and 
positive  agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  essential  to  the 
new  creation  in  Christ  Jesus  taught  in  the  Bible. 
Hence,  we  hear  the  astounding  sentiment  uttered  from 
pulpits,  said  to  teach  the  doctrines  of  Christ, — who 
most  solemnly  declared,  'except  a  man  be  born  of  the 
spirit,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God,' — that  for 
the  sinner  to  change  his  governing  purpose  is  for  him^ 
to  undergo  all  the  change  contemplated  in  the  scrip- 
tures. How  deplorable  is  it,  that  men  should  thus  spoil 
themselves  through  vain  philosophy,  falsely  so  called. 
And,  however  others  may  account  for  so  startling  a 
fact,  for  ourselves,  we  hesitate  not  to  affirm,  that  it  is 
the  necessary  result  of  the  prominency  given  to  the 
ability  of  sinners  to  perform  their  duty,  independently 
of  foreign  assistance.  They  are  not  shut  up  to  the  faith 
of  Christ;  to  an  humble  reliance  on  his  intercession; 
and  to  an  absolute  dependence  on  the  quickening 
power  and  grace  of  the  Iloly  Ghost;  but  are  flattered 
with  the  pleasing  notion,  that  they  have  themselves  the 
ability  to  do  all  that  God  requires  of  them — more  pow- 
er to  love  than  to  hate  him;  and  that  if  they  will  but 
put  forth  this  power  in  altering  the  leading  purpose  of 
their  lives,  they  will  then  be  the  workmanship  of  God, 
created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God 
hath  before  ordained,  that  they  should  walk  in  them. 
What  indignity  to  God  the  Holy  Ghost  1  No  truth  of 
revelation  has  been  more  expos'ed  to  profane  wit,  and 
philosophical  scepticism  than  that  of  the  agency  of  the 


FULFILMENT  OF  THE  MINISTRY.  101 

Holj  Ghost.  The  inculcation  of  this  truth,  however 
sober  and  scriptural^  is  treated  with  unmeasured  con- 
tempt. How  much  to  he  lamented  then  is  it,  that  minis- 
ters of  the  Gospel,  through  a  blind  zeal  for  new  and 
unwarrantable  modes  of  philosophising  on  the  doctrines 
of  the  Bible,  should  aid  the  enemies  of  all-righteousness 
in  their  unhallowed  opposition  to  this  glorious  and 
blessed  truth.  Brethren,  is  not  the  Holj  Ghost  the 
author  and  giver  of  life?  Will  the  sinner  ever  have 
one  right  thought  or  desire,  or  perform  one  right  act, 
without  his  special  aid?  Who  renews  the  soul?  Who 
convinces  the  sinner  of  his  lost  and  perishing  condition? 
Who  gives  him  the  grace  of  repentance  and  faith; 
reveals  to  him  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  Jesus;  leads  him  to 
the  Cross;  and  imparts  to  his  troubled  soul  the  peace  and 
comfort  which  flow  from  justification,  and  acceptance 
tlirough  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant?  Who 
sustains  and  invigorates  the  spiritual  life  which  he  first 
bestowed;  imparts  holiness  and  strength,  victory  over 
the  world,  love  to  God,  zeal  for  His  glory,  and  sincerity 
in  dedication  to  his  service?  Is  it  not  the  Eternal 
Spirit?  Is  he  not  the  author  of  all  those  blessings  and 
exercises?  We  must  then  m.agnify  His  influence,  and 
give  Him  the  praise  of  all  that  he  performs.  We  must 
hold  fast  the  old  scriptural  doctrine  of  the  special 
agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  implore,  earnestly.  His 
gracious  aid,  if  we  desire  success  to  our  ministry,  and 
prosperity  to  the  church.  Let  every  minister  take 
heed  how  he  fulfils  his  ministry  in  this  very  important 
and  deeply  vital  point. 

6.  We  advert,  in  the  last  place,  to  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  faith  in  the  imputed  righteousness  of 
Christ.      The  necessity  of  obtaining  justifying  righ- 

9 


102  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

teousncss,  through  the  ohedicnce  unto  death  of  the 
Eternal  Son  of  God  is  one  of  those  fundamental  truths 
which  are  slowly  and  reluctantly  received  by  the 
hearers  of  the  Gospel.  And  even  when  it  is  admitted, 
it  is  not  soon  believed  by  the  heart,  and  expanded  into 
the  full  extent  of  this  stupendous  and  glorious  mystery. 
The  pride  and  self  righteousness  of  man  resist  this  doc- 
trine with  an  obstinacy  removable  only  by  the  power 
of  the  Almighty  Spirit.  The  notion  that  he  does  not, 
absolutely,  depend,  for  justification,  on  a  gracious  act  of 
mercy  procured  through  the  intercession  of  a  surety, 
independently  of  his  own  works  or  merits,  is  ever 
intruding  itself  upon  his  imagination.  This  fatal  mis- 
take is  to  be  corrected  only  by  repeated  and  explicit 
developements  of  the  plan  of  salvation  through  Jesus 
Christ;  of  his  vicarious  sufferings;  and  of  gratuitous 
justification  on  account  of  his  perfect  righteousness,  and 
reckoned  to  the  sinner  as  his  own  righteousness  upon 
his  belief  in  Christ  as  his  only  Saviour.  By  patient 
and  full  instruction,  our  hearers,  under  the  gracious 
illumination  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  convinced  of  th^ 
utter  hopelessness  of  establishing  any  righteousness  of 
their  own ;  and  are  brought  to  receive ,  with  simplicity 
and  gratitude  of  soul,  the  gift  of  righteousness  through 
faith  in  a  gracious  and  glorious  substitute.  This  great 
truth  is  the  key-stone  which  binds  together  the  whole 
fabric  of  the  Gospel  method  of  salvation.  What,  then 
shall  we  think  of  that  ministry  which  rarely  or  never 
presents  this  doctrine  to  the  minds  of  those  who  hear; 
which  indulges  in  a  certain,  not  very  intelligible  cur- 
rent of  sound,  and  mode  of  expression,  amounting  to 
very  exceptionable  phraseology;  instead  of  directing 
perishing  sinners  to  high  conceptions  of  the  blessed 


FULFILMENT  OF  THE  MINISTRY.  103 

Saviour;  simple  faith  in  his  sacrifice;  ardent  love  to  his 
name;  and  hungering  and  thirsting  for  his  righteous- 
ness, as  for  the  hread  and  water  of  life.  Oh!  let  every 
minister  of  the  Gospel,  as  he  would  be  free  from  the 
blood  of  souls,  and  from  the  awful  charge  of  having 
shunned  to  declare  the  council  of  God,  take  heed,  in 
tliis  most  vital  of  all  points,  to  the  ministry  wliich  he 
has  received  in  the  Lord,  that  he  fulfil  it. 

There  are  many  other  doctrines  and  facts  of  the 
Bible,  which,  did  time  permit,  we  would  add  to  these 
specifications.  As  these,  however,  are  among  the  most 
important  of  the  doctrines  and  facts  of  the  Bible,  when 
they  are  rightly  understood  and  taught,  the  others  are 
the  more  likely  also  to  be  so  understood  and  taught. 

We,  therefore,  pass  to  a  very  brief  notice  of — The 
manner  in  which  the  ministry  is  to  be  fulfilled. 

And  here  \^'c  observe,  that  modern  sermonizing,  is 
strikingly  marked  by  a  propensity  for  novelty  in  the 
modes  of  illustrating,  and  of  exhibiting  the  doctrines 
and  facts  of  the  Bible.  It  were  greatly  to  be  desired, 
tliat  a  strict  adherence  to  a  uniform  standard,  a  form 
of  sound  words,  should  be  maintained  in  fulfilling  the 
ministry:  especially  by  those  who  profess  to  entertain 
the  same  views  of  the  doctrines  and  facts  of  the  Bible. 
Nor  is  such  adherence  to  a  form  of  sound  words  a 
mere  matter  of  indifference,  (as  too  many  seem  to  sup- 
pose,) left  to  the  option  of  every  one  who  ascends  the 
sacred  desk,  to  decide  for  himself.  It  is  alike  the  injunc- 
tion of  an  inspired  Apostle  and  the  solemn  requisition 
of  the  Church,  when  she  imposes  on  her  sons,  about  to 
minister  at  the  altar,  the  very  sacred  obhgation  of 
adopting  her  estabhshed  and  public  Formularies  of 
faith   and   of  practice.     Ah!  what  tears  of  mourning 


104 


ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 


and  what  sighs  of  anguish  vrould  have  been  spared  to 
Zion,  had  these  holy  ties  never  been  sundered  by  those 
to  wliom  their  restraints  ought  to  be  liberty,  and  honor, 
and  glory.  It  is  the  dereliction  of  these  bonds  that 
causes  the  dissention  and  discord  which  so  grievously 
afflict  the  church;  which  has  infused  into  her  body  the 
poison  of  death  and  the  principles  of  dissolution;  and 
has  opened  upon  her  the  sluices  of  error,  like  the  tur- 
bid waters  of  a  torrent,  which,  having  broken  through 
the  mole  that  confined  them,  sweep  over  the  land, 
leaving  waste  and  ruin  in.  their  track.  The  tempta- 
tion to  the  course  which  we  would  rebuke,  in  the  most 
decided  tone,  is  strong  to  joung  and  inexperienced 
ministers,  who  are  ardent,  and  ambitious  of  the  reputa- 
tion of  shining  talents,  of  great  originality  of  thought; 
and  who  have  much  less  judgment  and  taste,  than  they 
have  vanity  and  presumption.  Disdaining  to  walk  in 
the  pathway  in  which  the  patriarchs  of  the  church 
trod,  and  in  which  her  fathers  still  tread,  to  the  temple 
of  truth,  and  in  which  they  directed  weary  pilgrims  to 
go,  who  were  desirous  of  finding  this  temple,  these 
youthful  tyros  and  novices,  to  exhibit  their  superior  skill 
and  wisdom,  and  courage,  take  a  new,  unbeaten  way, 
not  so  straight  and  narrow.  It  has  no  frame-work 
along  it,  no  posts,  nor  pillars,  nor  signs,  which  so 
describe  and  define  it,  as  that  the  slightest  deviation 
from  it  is  immediately  discovered.  It  leads  in  all 
directions,  and  is  without  ending;  so  that  a  traveller 
who  takes  this  route  is  ever  in  the  rigl:t  course,  so  far 
as  a  mere  road  is  the  right  course.  It  is  not  surprising 
if  they  who  travel  this  way  should  wander  on  till  ulti- 
mately they  perish  in  the  desert  of  error  and  of  sin,  like 
the   hapless  caravans   that   sometimes   perish   in    the 


FTJLFILMEXT    OF    THE    MINISTRY.  105 

trackless  fields  of  burning  sand,  in  the  land  of  deserts. 
O,  it  is  of  unspeakable  importance  to  weary  travellers, 
on  a  long  and  perilous  journey,  beset  with  a  thousand 
dangers,  that  they  be  directed  into  the  way  which  leads 
to  the  wished-for  home,  a  sweet  place  of  rest,  a  city  of 
refuge.  And  they,  appointed  as  guides  on  the  way, 
have  a  fearful  responsibility  resting  upon  them  for  the 
manner  in  which  they  perform  the  trust  committed  to 
them.  Ah!  if  they  misdirect  those  with  whose  instruc- 
tions they  are  charged,  and  they  lose  the  right  way, 
and  finally  perish  in  consequence  of  the  instruction 
which  they  received,  how  shall  their  instructers  account 
to  the  Lord  of  life  for  their  infidelity  and  perfidy?  Let 
young  men,  then,  more  especially,  let  all  appointed  to 
be  guides  to  pilgrims  on  the  way  to  Canaan,  so  direct 
them,  as  that  they  shall  find  that  good  land.  Other- 
wise they  will  not  take  heed  to  the  ministry  which  they 
have  received  in  the  Lord,  that  they  fulfil  it. 

Would  our  time  and  limits  permit,  we  should  wish 
to  make  a  few  remarks  on  the  demeanor  of  the  outer 
man,  in  the  fulfilment  of  the  ministry,  and  also  in  the 
ordinary  intercourse  of  life.  Let  the  example  of 
Christ  and  his  apostles  be  the  model  which  all  ministers, 
but  particularly  the  young,  adopt,  in  discharging  the 
functions  of  their  ofiice.  Christ  spoke  as  never  man 
spoke.  But  it  was  in  all  the  inimitable  dignity  and 
majesty  of  perfect  ease,  and  simplicity,  and  plainness. 
And  although  no  minister  can  acquire  the  manner  of 
this  divine  teacher,  yet  every  minister  is  bound  to  ap- 
proach as  nearly  to  his  example  as  a  mortal  may.  In 
every  performance  the  apostles  displayed  the  true  sub- 
lime of  oratory.  But  it  was  not  flourish,  nor  bombast, 
nor  gasconade,  nor  rant.     It  was  the  resistless    elo- 

9* 


106  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

qucnce  of  ricli  minds  and  devoted  hearts.     Let  it  not 
be  supposed  that  we  deprecate  the  very  best  manner 
of  which  the  minister  is  capable,  when  he  is  dehvering 
the  message  of  God  to  his  fellow  men.     Nay,  verily,  if 
he  can  embody  every  charm  of  elocution  and  every 
grace  of  composition  in  every  sermon  which  he  delivers, 
the  result  upon  the  influence  of  his  ministry  will  be  so 
much   the    more  auspicious.     And   all    this  would  be 
wholly    different  from  those   spangling    or   boisterous 
effusions  which  too  many,  in  the  sacred  office,  pour 
forth  in  gusts  upon  their  unedified  and  gaj^ing  hearers. 
The  image  is  not  the  object;  wind  is  not  rain;  shadow 
is  not  substance;  smoke  is  not  fire.     The  men  of  whom 
we  speak  would  do  well  to  preserve  among  their  me- 
mentoes an  observation  of  the   eloquent  and  tasteful 
Hall, — one  of  the  most  finished  pulpit  orators  of  modern 
times, — who,  being  asked  his  opinion  of  a   brilliant 
pulpit  performance  which  had  filled  a  gazing  crowd  of 
hearers  with  wonderment,  replied,  'it  was  very  fine;  but 
a  man  cannot  live  on  flowers.'     We  have  only  time  to 
say,  in  relation  to  the  ordinary  intercourse  of  ministers 
with  society  around  them,  that  there  is  a  certain  gravity, 
whose  theory,  at  least,  is  not  diflicult  to  be  learned, 
which  they  are  directed,  in  the  word  of  God,  to  main- 
tain upon  all  occasions.     Alas!  how  wounding  to  the 
Saviour  and  his  cause,  when  a  minister  of  the  gospel 
exhibits  a  levitj^  of  deportment,  a  lightness  of  mind, 
and  a  foolishness  of  conversation  not  surpassed  by  the 
vain,  and   fashionable,  and  thoughtless  youth  of  the 
world.     Tlie  Lord  save  the  church  from  the  blight  and 
the  curse  of  such  ministers.     That  minister,  who  does 
not  take  heed  to  himself  and  his  doctrine,  does  not 
cherish  an  evangelical  solicitude  for  the  salvation  of 


GOSPEL    DOCTRINE     AND    CHRISTIAN    DUTY.  107 

his  hearers,  will  not  be  the  means  of  saving  them; 
and  he  himself  shall  be  a  cast  away.  Nor  does  he 
who  is  not  prayerfullj  vigilant  as  to  the  matter  and 
manner  of  his  ministrations,  so  take  heed  to  the  minis- 
try which  he  has  received  in  the  Lord  as  to  fulfil  it. 
O  then,  let  all  the  ambassadors  of  the  King  of  saints, 
the  head  of  the  church,  imbibe  the  full  spirit  of  the 
gospel,  and  of  its  author,  and  go  forth  to  the  blessed 
woik  of  entreating  sinners,  in  Christ's  stead,  to  be 
reconciled  unto  God.  Thus,  though  by  far  the  greater 
part  of  those  whom  he  warns  and  exhorts,  treat  his 
message  with  scorn  and  indifference,  yet  he  shall  be 
glorious  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  arid  God  shall  be  his 
strength.  How  magnificent,  how  stupendous  are  the 
objects  to  which  the  whole  mind  and  soul  of  the  gospel 
minister  ought  to  be  ever  directed! 


SERMON   VII.* 

BY    THE   IJEV.    JA3LES    BLYTHE,    D.   D. 


GOSPEL  DOCTRINE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DUTY. 

Finally,  brethren,  farewell ;  be  perfect,  be  of  good  comfort,  be  of  one  mind, 
live  in  peace,  and  the  God  of  love  and  peace  shall  be  with  you. 

2  CoRiXTiiiAXS  xiii.  11, 

To  recount  the  past  struggles,  temptations,  and  felicities 
of  our  Christian  course,  and,  with  confidence  in  God,  to 
look  forward  to  those  that  may  come,  form  at  once  the 
duty,  the  happiness,  and  safety  of  the  Christian.     Says 

*  Delivered  to  the  church  and  congregation  of  Pisgah,  on  tlie  lesignation 
of  the  pastoral  charge,  after  a  connection  of  forty  years. 


108  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

Paul,  "And  now  I  go  bound  in  the  Spirit  unto  Jerusa- 
lem, not  knowing  the  things  that  shall  befall  me  there; 
save  that  the  Holy  Ghost  witnesseth  in  every  city,  say- 
ing that  bonds  and  afflictions  abide  me.  But  none  of 
these  things  move  me,  neither  count  I  my  life  dear  unto 
myself,  so  that  I  might  finish  my  course  with  joy,  and 
the  ministry  that  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to 
testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God.  For  I  am  now 
ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at 
hand.  I  have  fought  the  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my 
course,  I  have  kept  the  faith;  henceforth  there  is  laid 
up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness."  Let  the  apostle's 
conduct  be  our  example  to-day. 

While  we  take  a  hasty  review  of  the  way  in  which 
God  has  led  this  church  and  nryself,  we  will  be  of  good 
comfort.  Let  us  also  recount  some  of  the  duties  which 
lie  before  us;  and  thus  close  that  delightful  relation 
which  has  subsisted  between  this  church  and  myself  for 
forty  years. 

The  remembrance  of  the  first  day  I  came  among 
you  has  always  been  to  me  a  delight,  and  the  cause  of 
gratitude.  I  found  this  church  in  a  divided  and  dis- 
tracted condition.  Though  but  a  youth  and  a  stranger, 
God  so  blessed  my  feeble  efforts,  that  peace  and  con- 
cord were  restored.  At  that  time,  I  had  not  the  most 
distant  idea  of  ever  being  a  citizen  of  this  state,  jet 
perhaps  the  events  of  that  day  led  ultimately  to  the 
union  between  this  church  and  myself,  which  has  been 
so  protracted  and  so  delightful. 

I  became  your  pastor.  For  forty  years  I  have  la- 
bored to  know  nothing  among  you  but  Jesus  and  him 
crucified.  While  I  speak  I  trust  I  feel  deeply  pene- 
trated with  a  sense  of  the  innumerable  short-comings 


GGSPEL    DOCTRINE    AND    CHRISTIAN    DUTY.  109 

and  imperfections  of  my  private  and  ministerial  life, 
still  God's  grace  must  be  magnified,  and  I  hope  is  mag- 
nified, in  me.  If  I  have  ever  preached  one  sermon,  or 
ever  made  one  effort  that  has  proved  beneficial,  it  has 
been  all  of  grace,  and  I  humbly  hope  I  shall  rejoice 
in  the  dav  of  Christ  that  I  "have  not  run  in  vain, 
neither  labored  in  vain." 

I  feel  desirous  that  this,  my  last  sermon  among  you, 
ghould  not  be  a  mere  effusion  of  feeling,  but  should 
contain  something  that,  vrhen  I  am  no  more  with  you, 
may  serve  the  people  whom  I  love  more  than  any  other 
people  on  earth,  as  a  criterion  of  truth  and  a  guide  in 
duty.     Therefore, 

I.  I  shall  in  the  first  place  briefly  state  what  I  have 
labored  to  preach  among  you;  and 

II.  Throw  together  a  few  directions,  as  to  your 
future  duty. 

I  pursue  this  course,  that  you  may  be  of  good  com- 
fort, of  one  mmd,  and  that  you  m,ay  live  in  peace. 

1.  I  hope  you  can  bear  me  testimony  that  I  have 
labored  to  depict  human  nature  as  it  is  depicted  in  the  Bible. 

I  have  deemed  this  of  primary  importance.  It  is 
known  to  us  all,  that  the  church,  in  every  age,  has  been 
afflicted  by  divisions,  and  often  by  palpable  departures 
from  the  truth.  In  everj-  instance  of  this  kind  with 
which  I  have  been  acquainted,  the  first  step  of  error- 
ists  has  been,  to  deny  in  some  form,  the  total,  native 
depravity  of  man.  The  second,  and  indeed  the  neces- 
sary consequence  has  been,  the  ascription  of  some  kind 
of  power  to  man,  by  which  the  sinners  salvation  is  not 
wholly  of  grace,  communicated  by  God,  but,  in  some 
way,  of  human  origin,  and  the  putting  forth  of  human 


110 


ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 


power.  In  these  things,  I  have  labored  to  teach  you 
as  Christ  and  his  apostles  have  taught  us.  Avoiding 
vain  jangling  and  philosophy  falsely  so  called,  Ave  have 
bowed  down  to  the  overwhelming  truth,  "  that  as  by 
one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin, 
so  death  passed  uj^on  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned; 
that  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sin- 
ners; that  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,  for  it 
is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be; 
that  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,"  &c.,  &c. 
From  these  principles  we  have  not  hesitated  to  deduce 
the  solemn  truth,  that  condemnation  is  written  upon 
every  child  of  Adam  from  the  moment  of  his  birth; 
that  if  he  be  spared  but  for  a  day,  it  is  an  extension  of 
mercy;  that  if  he  be  taken  in  infancy  to  that  place, 
where  so  large  a  proportion  of  the  inhabitants  are  chil- 
dren, it  is  but  an  exhibUion  of  his  mercy  who  said, 
"sufl^er  little  children  to  come  unto  me;"  that  if  he 
should  grow  up  to  maturity  and  despise  the  Saviour, 
his  ruin  would  be  of  his  own  working;  but  that  if  he 
should  be  converted  and  brought  to  Christ,  it  cannot 
be  ascribed  "to  him  that  willeth,  nor  to  him  that  run- 
neth, but  to  God  that  showeth  mercy."  We  have  not 
hesitated  to  teach  you,  that  Adam's  posterity  are  as 
amenable  to  God's  law  as  was  the  first  transgressor; 
that  all  mankind  by  their  fall  have  lost  communion 
with  God,  and  are  under  his  wrath  and  curse.  We 
have  not  attempted  to  evade  or  hide  from  your  view- 
that  doctrine  so  abhorrent  to  human  reason,  and  death- 
ful  to  all  the  hopes  of  the  carnal  mind  and  vain  philo- 
sophy, viz:  "that  as  our  first  parents  were  the  root  of 
all  mankind,  the  guilt  of  their  sin  was  imputed^  and  the 


GOSPEL    DOCTRINE    AND    CHRISTIAN   DUTY.  Ill 

same  death  in  sin  and  corrupted  nature,  conveyed  to  all 
their  posterity." 

We  are  aware  this  is  hut  a  gloomy  picture ;  hut  he 
assured  it  is  the  only  just  portrait  of  man  that  can  he 
drawn,  if  we  dip  our  pencils  in  Bible  truth.  Fancy 
may  decorate,  philosophy  may  panegyrize  human  na- 
ture, and  metaphysics  may  bewilder  the  pastor  and  his 
flock,  but  still  revealed  truth  and  stubborn  fact  will 
fasten  upon  the  heart  and  conscience  of  ever}'-  candid 
inquirer;  and  he  still  asks,  with  a  sigh,  "what  is  man, 
that  he  should  be  clean,  and  he  that  is  born  of  a  woman, 
that  he  should  be  righteous?"' 

2.   The  doctrine  of  imputation  has  claimed  much  of  our 
attention. 

When  dwelling  upon  Adam's  sin,  and  all  its  tremen- 
dous  consequences,   I  have  often  asked  myself  what 
would  a  ruined  world  do  if  there  were  hut  one  Adam, 
one  imputation,  one  confederated  head.     Blessed  be 
God,  the  supposition  finds    no   place  in   our  system. 
'•For  since  by  man  came  death,  by  man  came  also  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead;  the  first  man  Adam  was  made 
a  living  soul,  the  last  Adam  was  made  a  quickening 
spirit;  and  as  we  have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy, 
we  shall  also  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly."     Dear 
brethren,  we  have  taught  you  that  men  are  justified, 
not  by  infusing  righteousness  into  them,  but  by  pardon- 
ing their  sins,  and  by  accounting  and  accepting  their 
persons    as  righteous;  not  for  any  thing   wrought   in 
\}    them  or  done  by  them,  but  for  Christ's  sake  alone;  not 
by  imputing  faith  itself,  the  act  of  believing,  or  any  other 
evangelical  obedience  to  them,  as  their  righteousness, 
but  by  imputing  the  obedience  and  satisfaction  of  Christ 
unto  them;  they  receiving  and  resting  on  him  aud  his 


112  ORIGINAL  SERMONS* 

righteousness  "by  faith,  which  faith  Ihey  have  not  of 
themselves,"  it  is  the  gift  of  God;  "For  he  hath  made 
him  to  be  sin  for  us  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be 
made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him." 

Docs  the  weary  traveller  lean  upon  his  staff?  does 
the  thirsty  pilgrim  eagerly  look  round  him  for  some 
cooling  fountain?  docs  the  dungcon-dwellcr  sigh  for  the 
light  of  heaven?  does  the  condemned  criminal  long  for 
the  news  of  pardon?  So  docs  the  poor  awakened  sin_ 
ner  breathe  after  the  justifying,  enlightening,  regene- 
rating, and  sanctifying  grace  of  God.  So  does  he  de- 
sire to  "put  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  who  is  to  him 
"the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life." 

3.  We  have  taught  you,  that  intimately  connected  with 
mail's  total  depravity^  and  necessarily  grozving  out  of  it^  is 
his  irttcr  inability  to  help  himself. 

We  shall  have  less  occasion  now  to  dwell  upon  this 
subject,  as  I  did  a  few  years  ago  publish  my  sentiments 
on  human  ability,  to  which  I  refer  you.  Suffice  it  at 
this  time  to  say,  in  the  language  of  Payne's  Elements 
of  Mental  and  Moral  Science,  "  Though  the  fall  of 
man  effected  no  change  in  the  original  susceptibilities 
of  his  mind,  though  it  created  none,  and  extinguished 
none,  it  perverted  all."  We  have  no  doubt  that  one 
great  cause  of  error  on  this  contested  subject,  arises 
from  confounding  the  susceptibilities  and  capabilities  of 
our  natures.  To  be  susceptible  of  love,  and  to  be  able 
to  love  a  particular  object,  are  tvv^o  dilTcrent  things. 
For  example,  fallen  men  are  susceptible  of  the  exercise  * 
of  love,  but  until  they  are  created  anew  in  Christ 
Jesus,  they  are  utterly  incapable  of  exercising  love 
towards  God,  holy  beings,  or  good  doing;  because  as 
fallen  natural  men,  they  are  "enmity  against  God." 


GOSPEL    DOCTRINE    AND    CHRISTIAN    DUTY.  113 

They  neither  see  him,  nor  can  deUght  in  him  or  in  his 
service.  "For  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foohshness  unto 
him,  neither  can  he  know  them,  for  they  are  spiritually 
discerned."  Can  a  rational  being  love  that  w^hich  has 
in  his  view  no  loveliness  in  it?  Is  God  a  lovely  object 
in  the  estimation  of  an  unconverted  man?  Certainly 
not.  On  the  account  of  our  original  corruption,  we 
are  utterly  indisposed^  disabled,  and  made  opposite  to  all 
good,  and  n-holly  inclined  to  all  evil.  This  is  the  lan- 
guage of  our  standards.  I  hope  it  will  not  be  forgot- 
ten by  my  dear  friends  of  this  church,  that  the  question 
is  not  what  kind  of  ability  the  sinner  has,  but  whether 
he  has  ability  of  any  kind,  to  obey  God's  command- 
ments, if  by  ability  be  meant^  any  thing  more  than  the 
susceptibility  of  being  wrought  upon  by  divine  grace. 
It  is  surely  high  time  the  Christian  world  should  learn 
to  avoid  and  pity  that  sophism  by  which  we  are  made 
able  by  one  kind  of  ability,  and  unable  by  another  kind 
of  ability,  to  repent,  believe,  and  love  God. 

I  cannot  dismiss  this  subject,  without  making  two 
remarks,  which  I  hope  the  unconverted  part  of  my 
audience  will  ponder  well.  Our  inability  to  obey  God 
forms  no  part  of  a  pica  for  remainiiig  in  disobedience. 
First,  because  "  God  has  laid  help  upon  one  who  is 
mighty  to  save,"  to  vrhom  it  is  the  sinner's  bounden 
duty  to  apply;  and  secondly,  because  our  inability  is 
our  crime,  not  our  excuse.  It  is  part  of  the  ruin 
brought  upon  us  by  our  fall;  and  no  proposition  can  be 
more  untrue,  than  that  it  would  be  cruel  and  unjust 
for  God  to  command  us  to  do  that,  which,  by  our  sin, 
we  have  rendered  ourselves  unable  to  do.     A  second 

remark  is  this:  Solemn,  eloquent,  and  moving  appeals 

10 


114  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

made  to  men,  accompanied  with  assurances  that  they 
have  power  to  repent,  believe,  and  surrender  them- 
selves to  God,  is  the  direct  way  to  fill  the  church,  but 
to  fill  it  with  self-converted  persons.  I  awfully  fear, 
when  that  decisive  day  comes,  the  grand  object  of 
which  will  be  to  magnify  the  grace  of  God  and  to  st^n 
all  human  pride  and  power,  such  will  be  found  to  be 
the  character  of  many  of  those  conversions  which  have 
been  fondly  hailed  as  genuine. 

My  dear  friends,  have  it  deeply  impressed  upon  your 
own  hearts  and  upon  the  memories  of  your  children, 
"  That  man's  ability  to  do  good  works  is  not  at  all  of  him- 
self^ hut  wholly  from  the  Spirit  of  Christ,''''  "For  we  are 
his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
works,  which  God  hath  ordained  that  we  should  walk 
in  them."  Let  it  never  be  forgotten  by  any  person 
that  hears  me  to-day,  that  the  gospel  is  a  blessed  sys- 
tem of  means,  ordained  of  God.  That  there  is  a  door 
of  merc3',  an  ear  of  mercy,  a  mercy  seat^  and  a  promised 
spirit.  O!  Is  not  this  enough?  Who  need  despair, 
when  Christ  has  died  ?  Who  will  linger,  when  Christ 
says  "come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  Who  will  not  melt, 
when  the  Saviour  weeps?  Who  will  not  tremble  be- 
fore him  "who  is  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with 
power?"  And  O  Christians,  who  among  us  will  not  lift 
up  our  heads,  for  our  redemption  draweth  nigh? 

4.  We  have  labored  to  present  the  Spirit,  the  third 
person  in  the  Trinity,  as  operatirig  a  part  as  important  and 
distinctive  in  the  economy  of  grace,  as  that  performed  by  the 
Saviour  himself. 

I  have  long  been  convinced  that  great  despite  is  done  \ 
to  the  Spirit,  by  the  manner  in  which  his  agency  is 


GOSPEL    DOCTRINE    AND    CHRISTIAN    DUTY.  115 

sometimes  spoken  of.  It  is  no  uncommon  thing  to 
hear  a  company  of  sinners  urged  and  commanded  to 
come  to  God,  to  believe  and  repent,  without  the  least 
reference  to  the  Spirit.  Indeed  the  agency  of  the 
vSpirit  is  highly  spoken  of  by  such  divines,  in  the  work 
of  sanctification,  but  not  at  all  in  the  production  of 
faith  and  repentance.  These  primary  steps,  according 
to  them,  appertain  to  the  creature,  and  are  of  creature 
power.  Now,  my  dear  brethren  is  this  the  gospel?  or 
is  it  not  a  device  of  vain  philosophy?  Hear  the  Sa- 
viour: "But  if  I  depart  I  will  send  him  (the  Spirit) 
unto  you,  and  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin."  The 
world,  not  the  apostles,  not  Christians,  but  the  world: 
that  is,  unconverted  persons.  Now,  what  is  it  to  be 
reproved  of  sin  in  an  evangelical  or  effective  manner? 
Can  any  person  be  reproved  or  convinced  of  sin,  who 
does  not  see  it,  as  committed  against  a  holy  God?  Can 
any  man  who  is  not  enlightened  and  regenerated, 
apprehend  either  God  or  sin  in  a  proper  light?  Hear 
what  the  apostle  says  on  this  subject:  ''The  natural 
man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  "the  Spirit  of  God,  for 
they  are  foolishness  unto  him,  neither  can  he  know 
them,  for  they  are  spiritually  discerned."  The  begin- 
ning, yes,  dear  brethren,  the  very  beginning  of  the 
sinner's  return  to  God,  is  of  the  Spirit,  not  of  the  choos- 
ing or  working  of  the  blind,  depraved  ** natural  man." 
It  is  the  impartation  of  that  power  which  the  apostle 
calls  spiritual  discernment.  This  spiritual  discernment 
cannot  be  predicated  of  the  natural  man,  for  he  "  cannot 
discern  the  things  of  the  Spirit."  Brethren,  however 
humbling  it  is  to  human  pride,  the  Bible  is  full  of  this 
doctrine.  If  we  love  him,  it  is  because  he  first  loved 
.us.     It  is  God  that  worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do 


116  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

of  his  own  good  pleasure.  But  you  are  washed,  but 
yc  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified  in  tlie  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God. 

I  have  not,  I  hope,  to-day,  the  infehcity  of  addressing 
a  single  person,  who  would  not  shut  his  ears,  and  turn 
away  from  any  man  who  would  attempt  to  preach  the 
Gospel,  and  yet  deny  the  proper  divinity  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Does  he  do  less  dishonor  to  the  Gospel 
who  denies  to  the  Spirit  his  appropriate  work,  in  en- 
lightening and  regenerating  the  heart  of  the  sinner? 
The  one  denies  the  personality,  and  justifying  work 
and  righteousness  of  the  second  person  of  the  Trinity, 
the  other  the  personality  and  distinctive  work  of  the 
third.  The  one  dishonors  God  the  Saviour,  the  other 
dishonors  God  the  Spirit. 

5.     I  have  labored  to  di-azo  you  near  to  the  cross. 

To  hold  up  before  you  the  cross  on  which  the  suffer- 
ing Saviour  died,  the  great  vicarious  sacrifice,  "the 
Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world," 
has  been  my  leading  object.  My  dear  friends,  if  I 
have  ever  retired  from  this  pulpit,  without  in  some  dis- 
tinct form  presenting  this  precious  Saviour  to  you,  I 
have  reason  to  ask  your  forgiveness,  but  especially  the 
forgiveness  of  that  sufferer  who  bore  our  sins  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree. 

I  have  labored  to  present  Christ  Jesus  to  you  as  a  servant, 
"  Who,  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery 
to  be  equal  with  God;  but  made  himself  of  no  reputa- 
tion, and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was 
made  in  the  likeness  of  men,  and  being  found  in  fashion 
as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient 
unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross."  What  a  life 
of  servitude  did  he  live!     Wherever  poverty  bore  the 


GOSPEL    DOCTRINE    AND    CHRISTIAN    DUTY.  117 

sufferer  down,  there  was  the  Saviour  found,  as  poor 
as  the  poorest  citizen  of  Judea — "  that  we  through  his 
poverty  might  he  rich."  He  was  ever  ready  for  the 
lahor  of  the  carpenter's  son,  or  the  more  appropriate 
service  of  whole  nights  of  wresthng  in  prayer  with  the 
Father,  whose  "  righteous  servant''  Isaiah  says  he  w^as. 
Wherever  tiiere  was  disease,  there  was  this  sympathiz- 
ing physician  found,  causing  the  bhnd  to  see,  the  lame 
to  walk,  the  deaf  to  hear,  the  dead  to  he  raised  up,  and 
the  gospel  to  he  preached  to  the  poor.  Is  bereave- 
ment and  sorrow  to  be  soothed?  Jesus  wept.  Are 
the  people  to  he  instructed  ?  We  find  him  who  taught 
as  never  man  taught,  pouring  the  words  of  truth  upon 
the  ears  of  listening  multitudes. 

/  have  held  up  Christ  before  you  as  a  sufferer.  Such  a 
sufferer!  Was  it  ever  known  before,  in  the  govern- 
ment of  a  righteous  God,  that  innocence,  perfect  inno- 
cence, suffered?  Twice  had  it  been  proclaimed,  not 
by  the  instrumentality  of  angels,  but  by  God  himself, 
"This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased." 
Says  the  apostle,  "Such  an  high  priest  became  us,  who 
is  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  separate  from  sinners,  and 
made  higher  than  the  heavens;"  and  yet  he  suffered. 
"His  visage  Avas  marred  more  than  any  m.an,  and  his 
form  more  than  the  sons  of  men."  Well  might  the 
holy  inhabitants  of  heaven  pry  into  this  mystery.  It 
was  a  wonder  that  never  had  been  exhibited,  or  even 
conceived  of  before.  Has  justice  forsaken  the  eternal 
throne  ?  Is  that  being  who  laid  the  foundations  of  the 
earth  doomed  to  moisten  the  ground  w^hich  he  had 
formed,  with  his  sweat,  his  tears,  and  his  blood?  Is 
that  arm  which  stretched  out  the  heavens,  to  be  bound, 
and  he  whom  angels  adore  to  be  led  away  to  Pilate's 

10=^ 


118  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

])ar?  Is  that  hand  to  which  all  power  and  dominion 
arc  confided  hy  God,  to  be  nailed  to  a  cross?  Is  the 
prince  of  life  to  become  the  prey  of  death?  Yes,  dear 
friends,  yes,  all  this,  and  more.  The  cup  of  trembling 
is  not  yet  full.  Into  that  cup  is  to  be  poured  a  myste- 
rious ingredient,  of  which  men  and  angels  know 
nothing,  or  but  very  little.  It  was  the  fulfilment  of 
that  dreadful  denunciation,  "Awake,  O  sword,  against 
my  shepherd,  and  smite  the  man  that  is  my  fellow, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts;  smite  the  shepherd."  The 
hand  of  man  was  upon  him;  the  powers  of  darkness 
vrere  assembled  around  him.  But  what  were  both? 
"He  was  oppressed  and  he  was  afflicted,  yet  he  opened 
not  his  mouth."  But  O!  the  smiting  of  that  sword 
wielded  by  Omnipotence,  the  gathering  of  that  cloud 
which  veiled  at  once  the  face  of  nature,  and  of  nature's 
God:  it  was  this  that  extorted  from  the  lips  of  the  inno- 
cent sufferer,  the  bitter  lamentation,  "JMy  God,  my 
God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?"  I  see  many  in  this 
assembly  press  closer  to  the  dying  man;  they  throw 
around  the  arms  of  faith  and  embrace  the  expiring 
sufferer.  I  hear  them  saj-,  "  Lord,  remember  me  when 
thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom." 

Brethren,  when  reading  the  prophets  as  they  detail 
the  sufferings  of  Christ,  when  tracing  the  historj^  of  our 
Saviour's  painful  life,  and  the  God-afilictcd  agony  of 
his  death — when  walking,  in  retrospect,  through  the 
garden  of  Gethsemane,  and  when  gazing  on  the  cross, 
are  you  not  amazed,  that  any  man,  not  utterly  infatu- 
ated, not  left  to  a  strong  delusion  to  believe  a  lie, 
should  speak  of  all  this  as  a  mere  show,  a  kind  of  tragi- 
cal pantomime  ?  With  what  tears  ought  you  and  the 
church  to  weep  over  those  who  deny  the  Saviour  the 


4 


GOSPEL    DOCTRIXE   AND   CHRISTIAN    DUTY.  119 

glory  of  enduring  the  penalty  of  that  law  which  sinners 
had  violated — of  hearing  our  sins  in  his  hody  on  the 
tree — of  pouring  out  his  life,  especially  for  those  of 
whom  he  says,  "  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  hut  for  those 
whom  thou  hast  given  me" — of  bringing  in  an  everlast- 
ing righteousness,  which  is  to  he  imputed  to  his  people 
for  their  justification?  Alas!  that  these  things  should 
ever  have  been  made  a  question.  Bat  you  have  not 
so  learned  Christ.  Hold  fast  the  faith  once  delivered 
to  the  saints — the  form  of  sound  words  handed  down 
by  your  fathers  since  the  Reformation. 

I  cannot  dismiss  this  all-absorbing  subject,  without  a 
thought  or  two  more.  All  agree  that  Christ  suffered. 
Why  did  he  suffer?  Because  he  in  his  own  person 
was  a  sinner?  It  would  be  blasphemy  to  say  so.  The 
question  returns,  why  did  he  suffer?  The  only  answer 
that  can  be  given  is,  that  he  suffered  for  and  on  the 
account  of  his  people.  He  suffered,  being  innocent. 
His  people  were  the  real  offenders.  He  was  "  wounded 
for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for  our  iniquities." 

•Again,  if  this  obeying  and  suffering  Saviour  were  no 
more  than  a  created  being,  what  effect  could  his  obe- 
dience have  had  to  magnify  God's  law,  which  every 
creature  is  bound  to  obey,  for  himself,  to  the  utmost  of 
his  ability;  or  his  sufferings  to  render  it  possible  for  God 
to  be  just  and  the  justifier  of  him  who  believeth 
in  Jesus  Christ? 

Dear  brethren,  you  have  been  taught  to  consider  the 
above  doctrines  as  parts  of  one  indivisible  scheme,  as 
stones  in  the  same  building,  Jesus  Christ,  the  co-equal 
Son  of  God,  being  the  chief  corner  stone. 

II.  I  am  to  leave  with  you  a  few  directions  which 
may  aid  you  in  future  duty. 


120  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

1.  As  mcmhers  of  the  church  at  large. 

Many  of  the  dispensations  of  God's  providence  during 
the  last  half  century,  but  especially  those  which  respect 
the  church,  appear  to  me  to  have  been  projected  upon 
the  scale  of  the  world.  The  church  is  no  longer  that 
isolated,  uninteresting  object,  the  world  esteemed  it 
one  hundred  years  ago.  It  is  evidently  now  a  city  set 
upon  a  hill.  To  it  every  eye  is  turned.  Its  friends 
hail  its  triumphs,  and  its  wide  spreading  conquests.  Its 
foes  tremble  lest  they  should  be  broken  to  pieces  by  the 
smitings  of  that  stone,  cut  out  of  the  mountain,  which 
is  destined  to  fill  the  earth.  However  much  deformity 
is  still  about  the  church,  she  is  evidently  putting  on  her 
beautiful  garments.  Her  chief  adornments  are  charity, 
love,  and  good  doing.  Sectarian  exclusion  is  ceasing 
to  be  her  character.  Calvary  is  becoming  "the  moun- 
tain of  the  Lord's  house,  and  is  established  upon  the 
top  of  the  mountains."  The  cross  is  ceasing  to  be  the 
exclusive  claim  of  a  party.  These  cheerfully  award  it 
to  those.  It  is  at  once  the  test  of  truths  and  the  standard 
of  the  church;  the  blood  of  the  vicarious  sacrifice  is 
henceforth  to  be  the  sacred  cement  of  our  order.  Dear 
brethren,  awake  and  keep  up  with  the  spirit  of  the  age. 
Be  not  discouraged.  It  was  to  have  been  expected, 
that  when  the  church  should  awake  out  of  her  slumber, 
some  should  see  things  as  by  twilight.  That  they 
should  be  in  danger  of  mistaking  men  for  trees  walking, 
and  truth  for  falsehood ;  and  that  some  even  of  her  own 
sons  should  in  the  ecstacy  of  their  lirst  wakeful  moments, 
mistake  the  exploded  heresy  of  eight  or  ten  centuries 
for  the  invention  of  their  own  matchless  powers.  I  say 
again,  be  not  discouraged.  When  the  church  shall 
have  put  on  her  most  beautiful  form,  the  doctrines  of 


GOSPEL  DOCTRINE    AND  CHRISTIAN  DUTY.  121 

the  Reformation  will  be  as  new  and  delightful  as  they 
were  to  Luther  and  Melancthon;  and  Christ  and  him 
crucified  as  precious  to  every  minister,  as  they  were  to 
Paul.  "While  you  mark  those  who  cause  divisions,  and 
avoid  them;  and  while  you  watch  over  and  turn  away 
from  those  who  would  preach  another  Jesus,  whom  we 
have  not  preached,  or  another  Gospel  which  you  have 
not  accepted,  wake  up  to  all  the  grand  substantial  doc- 
trines of  Christian  charity  and  benevolence.  Identify 
yourselves  and  your  children  with  the  church.  Let 
every  child  who  is  large  enough  to  sit  at  your  bounti- 
fully covered  tables,  be  taught  to  commiserate  the  poor; 
and  all  who  are  old  enough  to  know  what  is  meant  by 
the  word  heathen,  be  made,  with  their  own  hands,  to 
aid  in  sending  the  Bible  and  the  Gospel  to  heathen 
lands.  Let  no  good  work  go  on  without  lending  a 
helping  hand.  Let  charity  which  abideth,  characterize 
you  as  a  church  and  as  individuals.  You  know  me  too 
well  to  suppose,  I  hereby  mean  to  inculcate  that  sickly 
and  false  charity  which  palliates  sin,  or  affiliates  with 
error.  No,  brethren,  be  holy  as  your  Father  in  Heaven 
is  holy,  and  ever  contend  earnestly  for  the  truth,  never 
bitterly*     Buy  the  truth  and  sell  it  not,  no,  not  for  peace. 

2.  /  am  to  speak  to  you  as  Presbyterians, 

1  am  one  of  those  who  believe,  that  the  different  sects 
of  evangehcal  christians  in  the  world,  so  far  from  being 
a  curse  to  the  church,  have,  on  the  whole,  been  a 
blessing.  That  they  are  the  means  of  sustaining  each 
other  in  the  grand  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Gospel, 
might,  I  think,  be  abundantly  proven.  The  justness  of 
this  principle  will  be  seen,  from  the  acknowleged  fact, 
that  there  are  four  or  five  Christian  denominations  in 
America,  upon  all  of  which  the  blessing  of  God  evi- 


122  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

dently  rests.  They  each  form  a  part  of  the  hulwark  of 
the  land.  The  moment  any  one  of  the  fundamental 
doctrines  of  our  rehgion  is  assailed,  they  all  rally  round 
the  Cross.  When  any  great  work  of  Christian  charity 
is  to  be  put  forward,  they  all  meet  in  the  same  hall  of 
counsel  and  of  prayer.  Upon  these  principles,  I  am 
not  ashamed  to  be  called  a  sectarian^  nor  to  impart  to 
you  my  last  counsel,  as  a  Presbyterian. 

I  would  first  warn  you  against  that  project,  which 
proposes  to  abolish  all  creeds,  to  throw  all  the  churches 
into  or^e  grand  crucible,  to  fuse  them  by  some  undefina- 
ble  process,  and  then  empty  them  out  upon  the  world 
amalgamated  and  refined.  I  object  to  this  scheme, 
because  it  is  evidently  impracticable,  unless  the  Pope, 
or  some  other  individual,  be  made  the  infallible  inter- 
preter of  the  Scriptures.  Also,  because  each  of  those 
church  alchymists  expect,  when  the  whole  process  is 
closed,  and  the  new-formed  church  comes  out  of  the 
furnace,  it  will  possess  the  exact  likeness  of  that  to 
which  he  belongs.  Let  it  be  enough  for  you,  that  the 
churches  to  which  you  extend  the  hand  of  brotherhood, 
cleave  to  the  Cross  with  its  vicarious  sacrifice.  That 
they  rely  upon  Christ,  with  his  justifying  righteousness, 
the  enlightening,  regenerating,  and  sanctifying  grace 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  possess  his  spirit  of  holy  living. 
If  we  mistake  not,  this  is  all  the  oneness  the  church  in 
her  best  estate  will  ever  exhibit. 

You  also  ought  to  be  reminded,  that  the  present  is 
a  peculiarly  critical  time  with  the  Presbyterian  church 
in  America.  Though  far  from  being  as  active  as  she 
ought  to  have  been,  she  has  been  enabled  by  divine 
grace,  to  stand  nobly  forward,  among  her  sister  churches, 
in  most  of  the  grand  good-doings  of  the  age.     She  has 


GOSPEL    DOCTRINE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DUTY.  123 

commiserated  the  heathen.  She  has  labored  to  obey 
the  Master,  and  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  all  the  world. 
She  has  bestowed  her  thousands  to  circulate  the  Bible. 
She  has  taken  children  into  her  arms.  She  has  wept 
over  injured  Africa.  She  has  labored  to  pour  instruc- 
tion through  many  of  our  colleges.  She  has  mourned 
over  the  desecration  of  the  Sabbath.  And  ail  tliis, 
without  meddling  or  caring  to  meddle  with  the  king- 
dom of  this  world.  And  what  has  been  the  reward  she 
has  received,  at  the  hand  of  many  whom  the  world 
gladly  bless  ?  Let  the  mantle  of  charity  cover  up  the 
slander. 

Dear  brethren,  what  effect  ought  this  to  have  upon 
us,  as  Presbyterians?  Nothing  more  nor  less,  than  to 
produce  redoubled  effort.  Not  from  a  spirit  of  meeting 
opposition  with  opposition.  But  remembering,  that  we 
shall  reap,  in  due  season,  if  we  faint  not — that  neces- 
sity is  laid  upon  us,  yea,  wo  is  unto  us,  if  we  pubhsh 
not  the  Gospel,  each  of  us  as  we  can — that  the  eye  of 
the  Master  is  upon  us;  and  he  says  to  each  disciple, 
"  watch  ye,  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  quit  you  like  men, 
be  strong." 

It  is  known  to  you  all,  that  the  Presbyterian  church 
has  for  a  few  years,  been  in  a  state  of  lamentable  divi- 
sion and  disorder.     The  attentive  eye  might  have  dis- 
cerned the  gathering  storm  years  ago.     This  is  no  more 
than  what  might  have  been  expected,  when  we  remem- 
ber that  enterprize,  the  love  of  novelty  and  distinction 
characterize  the  age.     In  the  days  of  the  Apostles  and 
ever  since,  there  have  been  men  in  the  church  who 
have  preferred  themselves  to  Christ;  their  own  distinc- 
tion, to  the  peace  of  the  church.     All  this  is  but  the 
fulfilment  of  Christ's  prediction,  "  offences  must  come." 


124  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

Wliilc  we  would  mingle  our  parting  tears  to-day,  over 
these  afflictions  of  our  church,  we  would  take  courage, 
when  we  remind  you  that  the  disease  has  risen  to  its 
crisis.  The  tempest  is  fast  subsiding.  It  is  our  deli- 
berate opinion,  that  the  unity  and  purity  of  our  church 
are  safe. 

Had  I  all  the  eldership  of  our  church  before  me  to- 
day, I  would  say  to  them,  the  keeping  of  the  doors  of 
God's  house  is  especially  committed  to  them,  and  thai: 
their  power,  in  administering  its  government  in  ordi-^ 
nary  cases,  is  as  three  or  four  to  one.  The  church 
cannot  therefore  be  filled  with  persons  who  have  been 
excited  but  for  a  day,  or  who  do  not  embrace  our  stan- 
dards, except  the  eldership  consent  to  it;  and  in  all  our 
church  courts  they  have,  and  they  ought  conscientiously 
to  claim  and  exercise  equal  rights  with  their  ministers. 
It  is  true,  some  of  the  best  men,  both  of  the  ministry 
and  eldership,  have  been  strangely  fascinated,  but  we 
trust  it  has  been  but  for  a  day.  They  are  beginning  to 
pause;  to  "stand  in  the  ways,  to  see  and  ask  for  the 
old  paths,  and  walk  therein."  I  would  leave  it  among 
my  parting  counsels  to  this  church,  to  adhere  in  a  spirit 
of  meekness,  but  of  firmness,  to  the  standards  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  Let  no  man  "  beguile  you  with 
enticing  words."  You  are  one  of  the  oldest  churches 
in  the  West.  You  have  been  one  of  the  most  united 
and  peaceful.  You  will,  I  trust,  be  so  still.  For  forty 
years,  dear  brethren,  what  has  been  my  hope,  my  crown 
of  rejoicing?  And  in  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  will  you  not  be  my  "glory  and  joy?" 

I  am,  though  far  advanced  in  life,  going  to  a  new 
country,  and  to  engage  in  a  new  iield  of  labor,  though 
not  in  labour  to  which  I  have  been  unaccustomed.    I  am 


GOSPEL  DOCTRINE   AND  CHRISTIAN  DUTY.  125 

going  not  in  quest  of  ease  or  emolument,  but  because  I 
have  long  preached  the  duty  of  self-denial,  and  endea- 
voured to  awaken  in  others  a  missionary  spirit,  and  es- 
pecially because  I  have  consecrated  myself  to  the  cause 
of  the  church,  of  truth,  and  of  literature,  and  my  all,  to 
the  cause  of  God's  Providence.  It  is  no  small  consola- 
tion to  me  to  believe,  that  when  I  am  no  more  with 
you,  and  when  you  are  collected  in  these  consecrated 
walls,  where  w^  have  so  long  assembled  together 
around  the  mercy  seat,  I  shall  not  be  wholly  forgotten 
in  your  prayers. 

3.  /  am  in  the  last  place,  to  say  a  word  to  you,  as  private 
Christians, 

Personal  piety  is  the  glory  of  the  church.  It  is  the 
light  of  the  world.  Domestic  religion,  at  once  gradu- 
ates and  characterizes  the  worship  of  the  great  congre- 
gation. Dear  brethren,  in  the  language  of  our  text,  I 
would  say  to  you.  Be  perfect. 

As  this  is  a  Scripture  injunction,  it  means  something. 
What  does  it  mean?  When  our  Saviour  said,  "Be  ye 
therefore  perfect,  as  your  Father  which  is  in  Heaven 
is  perfect,"  does  he  mean  to  inculcate  that  absolute 
perfection,  which  can  appertain  only  to  underived 
existence?  Certainly  not.  He  intended  to  enjoin  a 
perfection  in  kind,  not  in  degree.  And  when  the  Apos- 
tle says  to  the  Corinthians,  "  Be  ye  perfect,"  he  does 
not  mean  that  perfection,  pecuHar  to  immaculate 
Angels  or  to  glorified  Saints,  but  to  Christians  in  this 
mingled  world  of  good  and  evil,  of  hght  and  shade,  of 
conflict  and  warfare.  If  I  am  asked,  in  what  does 
Christian  perfection  consist?  I  would  say,  chiefly  in 
two  things.     First,  in  a  perfect  resignation  to  the  will 

11 


126  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

of  God;  and  secondly,  in  the  attainment  of  the  grace  of 
the  assurance  of  hope. 

Brethren,  "Be  perfect."  That  is,  he  ye  ahle  to  say 
from  the  heart,  "  Thy  will  be  done."  Could  the  richest 
streams  of  Christian  felicity  that  have  ever  gladdened 
the  church,  or  the  heart  of  the  humble  child  of  grace, 
he  traced,  this  quiet  resignation  to  God's  will  would  be 
found  to  be  their  common  fountain.  Christian  friends, 
remember  God's  power  and  faithfulness — the  dying  love 
of  the  Saviour,  and  the  countless  promises  of  his  word. 
These  are  all  engaged  for  your  corrfort  and  security. 
Why  not  be  perfectly  resigned  to  Him,  when  we  "know 
that  all  things  work  together  for  good,  to  them  that  love 
God,  to  them  who  are  the  called  according  to  his 
purpose." 

Brethren,  labor  for  the  grace  of  the  full  assurance  of 
hope.  Some  have  attained  to  it,  and  why  not  you? 
Make  it  a  part  of  the  work  of  every  day,  to  lay  your 
heart,  as  it  were,  along  side  of  God's  word,  that  thus 
you  may  know  that  the  "  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness 
with  your  spirit,  that  ye  are  the  children  of  God."  One 
of  two  things  will  certainly  be  ejQfected  by  this  daily 
investigation.  If  you  have  only  a  name  to  live,  and  are 
dead,  the  important  discovery  will  soon  be  made.  But 
if  indeed  you  are  a  child  of  God,  the  grace  of  full  assu- 
rance will  speedily  grow  up  in  your  heart,  and  the 
whole  of  your  Christian  life,  will,  thereafter,  be  as  an 
antepast  of  Heaven. 

Be  of  good  comfort. 

It  is  a  law  of  our  rational  nature,  but  especially  of 
the  Gospel,  that  activity  in  duty,  and  tranquillity^  or 
"  good  comfort,"  go  together.  Brethren,  if  you  would 
be  happy,  be  dutiful. 


GOSPEL   DOCTRINE    AND    CHRISTIAN   DUTV.  127 

Remember  the  duties  of  the  closet. 

I  am  afraid  there  is  no  duty  so  much  neglected.  Cer- 
tainly there  is  none,  from  which  springs  more  imme- 
diately the  richest  Christian  comfort.  How  dehghtful 
to  shut  out  the  world;  to  commune  alone  with  God, 
when  the  pure  desires  of  the  heart  are  addressed  to 
him,  uncontaminated  with  the  pride  of  being  heard  of 
men,  which  so  often  mingles  itself  with  all  social 
prayer.  Therefore,  how  wise  and  how  imperative  is 
this  injunction  of  the  Master,  "When  thou  prayest, 
enter  into  thy  closet,  and  when  thou  hast  shut  thy  door, 
pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret,  and  thy  Father 
which  seeth  in  secret  shall  reward  thee  openly." 

Remember  the  duty  of  family  religion, 

God  long  ago  commanded  the  offering  of  the  morn- 
ing and  the  evening  sacrifice.  The  duty  of  unremit- 
ting family  religion  seems  to  me  to  be  so  indispensable 
to  the  keeping  up  a  sense  of  our  daily  dependence 
upon  God,  and  of  the  obligations  of  parental,  and  social 
life,  that  we  cannot  conceive  of  real  piety,  where  there 
is  no  assembling  of  the  family,  morning  and  evening, 
around  the  mercy  seat.  What  must  our  children  think? 
They  have  seen  us  at  the  Lord's  table.  They  have 
heard  us  solemnly  covenant  with  God,  and  the  church 
to  renounce  the  world,  and  to  walk  daily  as  in  the  sight 
of  God.  What  must  our  children  think,  and  what  will 
our  hesitating  and  stumbling  neighbors  think,  when 
tliey  see  us  so  much  devoted  to  the  world,  as  to  be  un- 
willing to  redeem  a  moment,  for  family  devotion? 
How  shall  we  be  able  to  meet  the  collisions  of  this  jar- 
ring world,  to  exercise  that  forgivenes,  which  is  of 
daily  requisition,  unless  we  have  our  hearts  imbued  with 
the  spirit  of  our  Lord's  prayer,  and    have   solemnly 


128  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

covenanted  on  our  knees,  and  in  presence  of  our  fami- 
lies, that  in  all  things  we  would  labor  to  adorn  the  doc- 
trine of  God  our  Saviour?  It  has  been  well  said,  that 
house  is  without  foundation,  or  covering,  where  the 
evening  and  the  morning  sacrifice  is  not  offered  up. 

Remember  the  duties  you  owe  to  your  children  and 
servants. 

What  tongue  can  paint  the  responsibilities  of  parents 
and  masters?  God's  church,  when  first  organized,  em- 
braced a  whole  family;  Abraham,  his  son,  and  all  his 
household.  And  twice  in  the  New  Testament,  the 
same  grand  principle  of  household  religion  is  recog- 
nized. Why?  Because,  what  the  germ  is  to  the 
future  oak,  what  the  foundation  is  to  the  future  edifice, 
such  is  the  family  to  the  church.  Would  to  God  I 
could  this  day  impart  to  you  some  of  my  convictions, 
and  blessed  be  God,  some  of  my  early  and  later  expe- 
rience on  this  subject.  I  am  convinced,  there  is  nothing 
in  which  the  church  of  God  is  so  far  behind  her  duty, 
and  her  privilege,  as  she  is,  in  the  fulfilment  of  the  ob- 
ligations she  is  under  to  the  children  of  her  members. 
We  cannot  now  dwell  on  this  subject.  But  I  must 
be  permitted  to  ask  all  Christian  parents,  if  they  are 
not  guilty  of  dishonoring  God,  when  they,  for  a  mo- 
ment, doubt  (provided  they  do  their  duty)  that  every 
child  they  have  shall  be  given  to  them,  as  companions 
in  the  way  to  glory?  Are  God's  promises  made  to  you? 
Are  they  not  also  made  to  your  children  ?  We  have, 
all,  it  may  be,  unconverted  children.  Why  are  they 
so?  Is  it  because  there  was  no  covenant  relation 
formed  between  God  and  them,  on  their  baptismal  day? 
Or  is  it  because  God  is  slack  concerning  his  promises? 
No,  no,  dear  brethren.     It  is  because  we  have  failed 


GOSPEL   DOCTRINE   AND   CHRISTIAN    DUTY.  129 

in  parental  prayerfulness,  pietj'  and  wisdom.  I  would 
call  upon  myself  and  upon  you  to  be  stirred  up  on  this 
subject.  To  take  fresh  hold  of  that  God,  who  has 
said,  "I  will  be  a  God  unto  thee  and  thy  seed  after 
thee." 

We  may  talk  about  revivals,  and  about  the  dawning 
of  the  Millennium  as  we  please.  We  may  send  our 
missionaries  to  the  heathen.  We  may  multiply  Bibles 
by  millions,  and  Sabbath  Schools  by  thousands.  We 
may  engage  in  all  these  graijd  and  glorious  enter- 
prises; but  the  work  will  not  be  done,  the  world  will 
not  be  converted,  the  fruit  of  the  hand-ful  of  corn  in  the 
earth  upon  the  top  of  the  mountain,  will  never  shake 
like  Lebanon,  till  parental  obligation  and  faith  are  in 
full  exercise.  The  church  must  receive  her  finished 
glory  from  the  hand  of  family  piety,  and  parental  con- 
fidence in  a  covenant-keeping  God,  as  she  had  her  first 
foundation  in  the  family  of  Abraham. 

As  it  respects  the  duty  of  masters,  ^  they  are  in 
this  country,  I  know  not  what  to  say.  I  find  in  the 
Bible  abundant  instruction,  as  it  respects  the  duty  of 
masters  and  sercants^  none  as  it  respects  masters  and 
slaves.  Therefore  I  know  not  what  to  say.  I  have 
long  struggled  with  these  duties,  and  have  utterly 
failed;  and  can  only  pray  God,  speedily  to  commiserate 
the  church  and  the  land,  as  it  respects  this  matter. 

Remember  the  ehitics  you  ozce  to  this  church  in  particular. 

All  may  be  included  in  one  word.  Be  of  one  mind, 
live  in  peace.  I  leave  you  a  loving  and  peaceful  peo- 
ple. There  is  among  you  no  root  of  bitterness,  or 
heart-burnings,  known  to  me.  And  it  is  not  the  least 
of  my  consolations  in  parting  with  you  to  day,  that  you 
are  about  to  pass  to  the  pastoral  care  of  a  man,  who 

IF 


130  ORIGINAL   SERMONS^ 

has  much  of  the  meekness  of  his  Master  ahout  him,  and 
who  is  sound  in  the  faith,  and  whose  heart,  I  trust, 
burns  with  the  love  of  God,  and  who  will  devote  hin^- 
self  to  the  salvation  of  your  souls.  I  have  no  doubt 
you  will  transfer  to  him  that  love  and  confidence  which 
you  have  so  kindly  extended  to  me. 

To  the  eldership  I  would  say,  you  have  been,  some 
of  you,  for  many  years,  my  friends  and  counsellors. 
You  have  all  been  fellow-laborers  with  me  in  the  gos- 
pel. I  now  solemnly  charge  you,  "take  heed  unto 
yourselves  and  to  all  the  flock,  over  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  has  made  you  overseers."  Much  of  the  well- 
being  of  this  church  depends  upon  you.  Much  of  the 
purity  and  peace  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Ame- 
rica depends  upon  the  eldership.  They  who  only  rule 
well  in  the  church  have  fewer  temptations  to  meet, 
fewer  partialities  to  gratify,  fewer  subtleties  to  propose 
and  to  explain.  It  is  a  rare  thing  that  an  elder  com- 
mits himself  upon  paper,  or  in  a  public  discourse. 
Nor  are  they  so  liable  to  be  heated  by  the  fervor  of 
party,  or  inflated  by  the  breath  of  popular  applause.  I 
therefore  say  again,  the  purity  and  the  peace  of  the 
church  is,  by  God,  and  our  excellent  form  of  church 
government,  deposited  with  the  eldership.  I  believe  it 
has  been  deposited  in  faithful  hands.  They  are  the 
sheet-anchor  of  the  church's  safetj ,  in  as  much  as  they 
hold  up  the  hands  of  their  ministers,  by  prayer,  and 
throw  in  their  counsels,  and  interpose  the  weight  of 
their  standing  and  influence  to  check  innovation  and 
error. 

Finally,  dear  brethren,  can  you  tell  what  is  included 
in  that  consolatory  assurance  with  which  Paul  closes 
his  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  "And  the  God  of  love 


JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH.  131 

and  peace  shall  be  with  you."  It  includes  all  things, 
under  all  circumstances,  and  at  all  times.  The  God 
of  whom  Paul  so  confidently  spake  to  the  Corinthians,  is 
the  same  God  in  whom  you  and  I  confide  to-day;  and 
may  I  not  say  to  this  dear  church,  "  the  God  of  love 
and  peace  shall  he  with  you."     Amen. 


SERMON  Vm. 

BY   DAVID   MO^'FORTJ    V.    D.    M. 


JUSTIFICATION    BY    FAITH. 

Therefore  we  conclude,  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith,  without  the  deeds 

of  the  law.  Romans  iii.  28. 

The  scriptural  definition  of  the  faith  of  God's  elect 
is,  "  Faith  which  worketh  hy  love."  The  term  itself 
signifies  the  belief  of  testimony,  or  a  confidence  in  the 
veracity  of  another,  as  well  as  in  his  ability  to  accom- 
plish some  particular  thing.  In  the  first  sense  it  is 
used  where  it  is  said,  "  If  we  receive  the  witness  of  men, 
the  witness  of  God  is  greater,"  and  this  witness  is  de- 
fined to  be  God's  testimony  of  his  Son.  A  thing  may 
appear  in  view  of  the  mind  to  be  simply  true,  without 
any  circumstance  of  interest  pertaining  to  it.  In  this 
case  our  belief  is  of  an  indifferent  kind,  or  purely  specu- 
lative. Or,  a  thing  while  it  appears  true,  may  also 
appear  good  and  excellent,  presenting  something  tor 
our  approbation  and  reception,  which  in  its  own  nature 
is  very  desirable.     We  easily  perceive  that  in   this 


132  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

case  our  belief  is  very  different  from  the  former.  There 
is  an  influence  upon  the  heart  and  the  affections;  and 
where  the  good  proposed  is  placed  within  our  power, 
and  at  the  same  time  our  exertion  is  required  to  obtain 
it,  it  becomes  practical,  producing  a  favorable  deter- 
mination of  the  will.  This  evidently  fills  the  descrip- 
tion of  "faith  which  works  by  love,"  and  implies  the 
.  cordial  delight  of  the  soul  in  the  Gospel  tender  of  justi- 
fying righteousness  through  Christ,  as  being  in  itself 
w^orthy  of  our  acceptation.  And  this  righteousness 
being  in  the  view  of  the  mind  perfectly  adequate  to  the 
end  proposed,  viz:  to  present  the  sinner  faultless  before 
Godj  and  to  give  him  a  right  to  eternal  life,  (which  of 
all  other  things  a  convinced  sinner  most  desires,)  it  ob- 
tains at  the  same  time  his  confidence  or  reliance.  Of 
this  description  of  faith,  we  have  a  beautiful  summary 
in  our  standard,  where  it  is  defined  to  be  that  "whereby 
we  receive  and  rest  upon  Christ  alone  for  salvation,  as 
he  is  offered  in  the  Gospel." 

The  term  justification  is  another  leading  one  in  the 
text  which  requires  our  particular  attention.  The  ori- 
ginal word  is  forensic,  and  signifies  to  pronounce  or 
resolve  one  just  or  righteous  in  law.  Here  we  are  at 
once  presented  with  a  grand  and  peculiar  mystery  of 
our  holy  religion,  viz:  that  of  a  person  in  himself  guilty, 
and  yet  really  and  in  fact  declared  legally  righteous ; 
for  all  without  exception  "have  sinned."  To  this  sub- 
ject, our  attention  is  invited  by  the  text,  which  in  refe- 
rfence  to  the  doctrine  of  a  sinner's  justification,  contains 
two  propositions. 

1st.  A  positive.     It  is  by  faith. 

2ndly.  A  negative.     Not  by,  that  is,  "without  the 
deeds  of  the  law." 


s^-. 


JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH.  133 

In  illustrating  the  first,  two  things  naturally  require 
our  attention:  1.  the  ground  upon  which  a  sinner  is 
said  to  be  justified;  2.  the  connection  which  faith  has 
in  his  justification. 

Here  observe  that  there  are  two  ways  in  which  a 
person  may  be  absolved,  or  freed  from  legal  charge: 
the  one,  where  there  has  never  been  guilt  incurred  by 
the  breach  of  any  precept;  the  other,  w^here  though 
there  has  been  a  breach,  yet  full  obedience  has  been 
rendered  by  the  guilty  person  to  the  penalty.  In  the 
first  sense,  Adam  had  been  legally  righteous,  had  he 
never  transgressed;  in  the  second,  he  could  not  be  after 
the  fall,  for  the  penalty  incurred  was  death,  which  was 
nothing  less,  if  sustained  in  his  own  person,  than  an 
unlimited  duration  of  suffering.  But  if  in  any  way  an 
adequate  obedience  can  be  rendered  to  the  penalty, 
and  the  life  of  the  criminal  saved,  his  acquittal  is  still 
possible.  If  he  can  in  any  way  be  put  in  possession  of 
the  rewards  of  that  obedience  w^hich  makes  full  repa- 
ration for  his  crime,  his  discharge  is  not  only  possible, 
but  it  follows  of  course. 

Now,  the  penalty  requires  the  life  or  blood  of  the 
transgressor,  and  its  claims  cannot  terminate  short  of  it 
or  its  equivalent.  But  the  scriptures  on  this  subject 
very  clearly  admit  of  substitution ;  for  it  is  said,  "without 
shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remission,"  implying  that 
by  shedding  of  blood  there  is.  And  that  this  remission 
may  and  does  take  place  by  the  blood  of  another  being 
substituted  in  place  of  the  criminal's,  is  clear  from  the 
same  passage,  for  the  Apostle  alludes  to  the  typical 
sacrifices  under  the  law  which  were  offered  for  sin. 
All  the  ancient  sacrifices  carry  in  their  very  aspect 
the  scriptural  doctrine  of  substitution.     The  offender 


134  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

brouglit  forward  his  victim,  its  blood  was  shed,  and  his 
sin  was  forgiven  or  remitted;  but  in  what  possible  sense 
but  as  "the  blood  which  is  the  Hfe"  had  a  reference  to 
proper  claims  of  the  penalty.  It  is  true  these  were 
typical  sacrifices  only,  and  possessed  no  efficiency  in 
themselves  to  take  away  sin;  yet  they  show  the  hfe  of 
an  innocent  person  may  be  substituted  in  the  place  of 
the  guilty,  and  be  accepted  so  that  the  original  trans- 
gressor may  be  treated  as  if  he  had  not  transgressed. 
It  also  shows  us  the  nature  of  the  great  antetype,  the 
sacrifice  of  Christ,  which  on  account  of  its  value  is  suf- 
ficient to  take  away  the  guilt  of  sin. 

Our  time  will  not  permit  me  to  take  a  full  view  of  all 
the  scriptural  arguments  in  favor  of  real  substitution, 
and  of  the  death  of  Christ  being  such  and  accepted  as 
such  in  the  stead  of  believers.  Nor  can  I  at  present 
attend  to  any  specious  objections  which  may  be 
alleged;  but  let  us  content  ourselves  for  the  present  to 
know  that  it  is  scriptural.  And  what  can  be  more  fully 
expressed  than  this,  in  the  following  plain  propositions.^ 
"The  Lord  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all."  Cer- 
tainly it  was  the  punishment  of  our  sins.  And  it  is 
said  again,  "He  bore  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the 
tree."  And  in  illustration  of  this,  it  is  again  said, "  The 
chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him,  and  by  his 
stripes  we  are  healed."  And  in  reference  to  his  death, 
it  is  said,  "He  was  delivered  for  our  offences."  We 
cannot,  without  obvious  perversion  of  scripture,  under- 
stand these  passages  as  having  any  other  meaning  than 
that  Christ's  death  had  a  reference  to  the  penalty 
which  we  had  incurred;  that  it  is  accepted  as  an  equiva- 
lent obedience,  and  that  by  virtue  of  it  we  obtain  our 
discharge. 


JUSTEFICATION   BY   FAITH.  135 

But  this  righteousness  does  not  effect  the  justification 
of  any  but  those  who  receive  it,  and  it  is  received  by 
faith.     "  But  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  hQ 
power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that 
beheve  on  his  name."     This  leads  us  to  consider  the 
connection  which  faith  has  in  our  justification.     On 
this  part  of  the  subject  let  it  be  observed,  that  the  con- 
nection which  faith  has  in  a  sinner's  justification  is  in- 
strumental.    We  are  justified  by  faith  as  the  instru- 
ment, because  by  it  we  receive  or  come  in  possession 
of  that  righteousness  which  does  justify.     And  in  con- 
nection with  this,  another  reason  may  be  offered.     In 
order  to  the  justification  of  a  person  there  must  be  a 
plea.    This  plea   must  be  real,  and   it  must  be  pre- 
sented.    Our  plea  is  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  which 
has  been  defined  to  be  his  real  and  satisfactory  obe- 
dience to  the  penalty  of  the  law  in  our  stead.     Faith 
not  only  seizes,  but  it  presents  this  before  the  court  of 
heaven,  and  obtains  an  acquittal.     Accordingly,  it  is 
said,  "He  that  believeth  on  him  is  not  condemned;" 
meaning  that  he  is  justified,  the  former  always  standing 
opposed  to  the  latter.     But,  again:  we  are  justified  by 
faith;  because  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  imputed  to 
believers  and  to  believers  only.     To  impute  righteous- 
ness is  to  reckon  or  account  it  in  a  legal  sense.     The 
person  justified  is  reckoned,  accounted,   or   resolved 
righteous,  through  the   gift  or  imputation  of  Christ's 
obedience  in  his  stead.     It  is  reckoned  to  him  as  if  he 
had  rendered  it  himself,  and  it  is  to  him  properly  and 
strictly  an  equivalent  to  his  own  personal  and  perfect 
obedience.     But  without  inquiring  into  the  reason  why 
the  transaction  should  be  thus  exclusive,  (for  with  the 
divine  sovereignty  in  the  case  we  have  no  concern,) 


136  ORIGINAIi  S£RMOINS* 

this  righteousness  is  imputed  to  none  but  believers;  be- 
cause the  language  is  positive  and  unequivocal:  "He 
that  believeth  on  him  is  not  condemned;  he  that  be- 
lievcth  not  is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not 
believed,"  &:c.  Now  we  are  said  to  be  justified  by 
faith,  because  it  is  a  means  of  justification,  as  well  as  an 
essential  qualification  in  the  person  justified.  Not, 
however,  a  meritorious  qualification  as  is  intended  to 
be  proved  in  the  sequel,  but  one  which  the  sovereignty 
of  God,  in  the  economy  of  grace,  has  rendered  indis- 
pensable in  this  business. 

This  will  serve  to  illustrate  certain  scriptures,  which 
represent  faith  itself  as  imputed  for  righteousness;  as 
for  example,  Abraham's  faith  was  imputed  to  him  for 
righteousness;  and  it  is  also  said  that  it  shall  be  imputed 
to  us  if  we  believe.  If  we  turn  our  attention  carefully 
to  the  sacred  scriptures,  we  shall  find  certain  graces 
frequently  used  figuratively  for  the  object  of  their  ex- 
ercise. Thus  faith  itself  is  used:  "Thy  faith  hath 
saved  thee;"  yet  certainly  it  was  the  power  of  Christ, 
upon  which  faith  acted,  that  saved  the  man.  Would 
time  permit,  other  instances  might  be  adduced,  where 
love,  joy,  fear,  hope,  &c.,  are  severally  put  for  their 
objects,  which  would  at  once  easily  lead  us  to  the  con- 
clusion that  when  faith  is  said  to  be  imputed  for  righte- 
ousness, the  meaning  is,  that  the  righteousness  which 
faith  receives  is  thus  imputed:  for  as  has  been  shown, 
it  is  imputed  to  the  believer  only. 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  an  illustration  of  the  negative 
part  of  the  text,  in  reference  to  justification. 

Justification  by  faith  is  here  set  in  opposition  to  justi- 
fication by  works;  but  this  opposition  does  not  exclude 
works  in  our  justification.     Nay,  the  proposition  itself 


JUSTIFICATION    BY   FAITH.  137 

that  we  are  justified  by  faith  supposes  them  to  be 
essential  in  a  justified  man.  Faith  itself  is  a  work, 
according  to  Christ  himself:  "  This  is  the  work  of  God, 
that  ye  believe,"  &c. ;  and  according  to  the  definition 
given  in  the  introduction,  it  is  of  a  practical  nature. 
James  tells  us  "  that  a  man  is  justified  by  works ;"  inti- 
mating to  us  that  the  work  of  faith  is  rendered  imper- 
fect and  absolutely  inconsistent  without  them.  The 
exclusive  particle  in  this  place  stands  opposed  to  the 
merit  of  good  works,  as  being  an  insufiicient  righteous- 
ness to  justify.  The  judgment  is  according  to  truth; 
but  as  in  every  thing  we  offend,  as  the  best  works  fall 
short  of  perfection,  such  a  judgment,  founded  on  them, 
would  not  be  according  to  truth.  Consequently,  they 
cannot  be  the  ground.  Faith  therefore,  as  a  work, 
singly  or  as  including  other  works,  cannot  be  the 
meritorious  ground  of  a  sinners  being  declared  legally 
righteous.  For  the  more  particular  illustration  of  this, 
take  the  following  remarks. 

The  text  itself  plainly  contradicts  it;  for  the  opposi- 
tion is  clear.  But  if  it  were  the  meritorious  cause,  it 
ought  to  be  a  perfect  work;  yet  this  it  is  not;  and  there- 
fore, if  it  were  the  ground  of  a  sinner's  being  declared 
righteous,  the  judgment  would  not  be  according  to 
truth;  which  cannot  be.  Now,  no  subject  of  evangelic 
faith  ever  has  or  ever  will  plead  its  absolute  perfection. 
On  the  contrary,  the  more  faith,  the  more  frank 
acknowledgment  of  imperfection.  But,  did  it  possess 
absolute  perfection  in  itself,  yet  it  would  fail  in  render- 
ing an  adequate  obedience  to  the  penalty  of  the  law. 
As  justification,  therefore,  implies  that  the  subject  of  it 
is  in  possession   of  the   obedience   required    of  him, 

though  faith  should  include  every  other  work  in  perfec- 

12 


138  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

tion,  it  would  utterly  fail  in  discharging  the  sinner  from 
guilt  or  punishment. 

But  again:  if  the  inherent  holiness  of  faith  were  the 
ground  of  our  justification,  there  is  no  reason  why  any 
other  grace  whatever  might  not  be  the  ground  of  it. 
There  are  other  accompanying  graces,  which  possess 
at  least  equal  holiness,  such  as  hope  and  charity,  which 
are  ranked  with  it,  and  of  which  three  charity  is  said 
to  be  the  greatest.  Upon  the  presumption,  therefore, 
that  the  holiness  of  faith  is  the  ground  of  this  divine 
judgment  respecting  a  sinner,  why  is  it  not  charity 
which  is  greatest?  There  is  no  reason  except  that  the 
inherent  holiness  of  neither  justifies  the  sinner. 

And,  farther,  if  the  supposed  doctrine  were  true,  it 
would  necessarily  explode  the  scriptural  doctrine  of 
justification  by  the  grace  of  God.  Grace  is  an  un- 
merited favor.  Now,  if  it  were  by  the  holiness  of  faith, 
"grace  would  be  no  more  grace;  otherwise,  work  is  no 
more  work."  But  "it  is  by  faith,  that  it  might  be 
grace."  Here,  the  opposition  which  we  contemplate 
as  true,  is  very  distinctly  brought  to  view.  Nay,  far- 
ther; according  to  the  apostle,  the  presumption  being 
true,  the  offence  of  the  cross  would  cease,  and  the  sacri- 
fice of  Christ  for  sin  be  rendered  null.  It  would  leave 
us  still  in  our  sin,  and  undermine  the  whole  system  of 
salvation. 

Once  more.  If  the  holiness  of  faith  justifies  a  sin- 
ner, one  of  two  things  must  be  true,  viz:  either  it  is  an 
equivalent  obedience  both  to  the  penalty  and  precept 
of  the  divine  law,  or  it  is  another  law,  accorpmodated 
to  the  natural  weakness  of  our  fallen  nature,  and  taking 
effect  either  on  account  of  a  relinquishment  of  the 
claims  of  justice,  or  by  their  being  cancelled  through 


JUSTIFICATION   BY   FAITH.  139 

the  death  of  Christ.  I  flatter  mj'self  that  the  former 
has  been  demonstrated  to  be  impossible  in  the  nature 
of  things.     The  latter  is  demonstrably  false;  for 

1st.  The  claims  of  justice  are  as  indispensable  as  the 
truth  of  God,  and  the  supposed  relinquishment  cannot 
take  place  without  reflecting  signal  disgrace  upon  the 
diilne  truth  and  honor.  God  abideth  faithful,  whether 
we  speak  in  reference  to  his  promise  or  his  threatening. 

2d.  To  suppose  that  the  law,  which  was  originally 
transgressed,  had  its'  accomplishment  in  the  death  of 
Christ,  and  then  ceased  as  a  law  regulating  human 
conduct,  for  ever,  is  reflecting  disgrace  upon  it,  as  a 
useless  thing;  nay,  it  is  rendering  it  mutable  and  really 
changed  by  the  death  of  Christ;  w^hereas  Christ  him- 
self positively  declares  that  he  came  for  no  such  object; 
and  at  the  same  time  urges  this  same  law  in  every  jot  and 
tittle  of  it,  as  a  rule  of  duty,  while  he  discards  from  the 
number  of  his  disciples  the  man  who  does  not  scrupu- 
lously regard  it  as  such.  The  ground  of  the  presump- 
tion therefore  is  evidently  false  and  unscriptural. 

3d.  The  doctrine  professedly  derived  from  this  is 
like  its  sources;  for  while,  on  the  one  hand,  there  is  no 
intimation  in  scripture  that  faith  is  a  law  of  works,  on 
the  other  hand,  nothing  can  be  more  positively  contra- 
dicted. As  an  evidence  of  it,  witness  the  text  when 
faith  stands  opposed  to  the  merits  of  our  own  obedience. 
View  it  in  whatever  light  we  may,  and  it  is  still  justifi- 
cation by  works,  than  which  nothing  is  more  antiscrip- 
tural.  For  it  matters  not  what  quantity  of  obedience 
this  law  requires,  the  obedience  itself  is  a  condition, 
and  if  fulfilled,  is  a  pleadable  one,  and  so  the  person 
obeying  claims  his  acquittal  as  a  matter  of  right.  Thus 
boasting  is  not  excluded  by  the  law  of  faith,  but  esta- 


140  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

blished.  But  the  scriptures  say  it  is  excluded  even  by 
the  law  of  faith. 

It  does  not  alter  the  absurdity  of  this  in  the  least  to 
say  that  thoa  h  the  righteousness  of  faith  is  less  than 
the  law  of  God  requires,  God  graciously  accepts  of  less 
in  place  of  more;  for  while  it  reflects  great  dishonor 
upon  the  divine  law,  it  still  goes  to  establish  an  anti- 
scriptural  doctrine;  for  it  is  justification  by  works. 
Faith  becomes  a  condition,  i.  e.  a  legal  condition,  and 
when  we  believe,  we  claim  the  reward,  not  ^f  grace, 
but  of  debt.  Besides,  if  the  obedience  itself  be  but 
partial,  a  failure  in  one  point  is  still  transgression,  and 
therefore  the  judgment  of  God  in  our  justification,  is 
not  according  to  truth;  which  is  daringly  absurd. 

This  point  has  been  noticed  a  little  more  particularly 
on  the  present  occasion  being  a  very  plausible  and 
popular  error,  and  well  calculated  to  put  an  end  to  the 
offence  of  the  cross.  It  is  hoped  that  no  offence  will 
be^  taken   from   a   dispassionate   examination    of  the 

subject. 

I  shall  conclude  with  some  general  inferences  from 
the  foregoing  remarks. 

1st.  From  what  has  now  been  said,  we  may  learn  the 
propriety  of  a  distinction  usually  made  between  a 
rational,  historical,  or  speculative  faith,  and  a  justifying 
faith,  and  that  the  latter  is  the  result  of  a  special  influ- 
ence of  divine  grace.  The  former  is  in  its  nature  sim- 
ple, implying  the  rational  conviction  of  the  mind 
respecting  the  evidence  of  revealed  truth.  The  latter, 
according  to  its  scriptural  definition,  is  more  complex, 
including  a  practical  effect  upon  the  heart,  affections, 
and  will;  hence,  said  to  work  by  love.  The  former 
may  be  the  unassisted  act  of  the  rational  mind;  but  the 


JUSTIFICATION    BY    FAITH.  141 

latter,  implying  delight  in  the  truth  helieved,  or  a  relish 
for  what  is  overtured  in  the  gospel  message,  cannot  he; 
for  the  natural  mind,  heing  totally  depraved,  is  destitute 
of  such  a  principle.  As  well  might  we  suppose  a  man, 
destitute  of  taste,  to  relish  the  sweetness  of  honey,  or  a 
sick  man  to  have  appetite  for  his  food,  as  to  suppose 
that  the  natural  man,  unassisted,  is  capable  of  saving 
faith.  This  faith  is  properly  called  the  gift  of  God, 
for  it  is  the  product  of  his  new-creative  energy. 

2d.  From  what  has  been  said  we  learn  that  there  is 
nothing  meritorious  in  the  exercise  of  faith.  On  the 
contrary,  it  pleads  no  merit,  and  is  in  reality  an  expres- 
sion, on  our  part,  of  weakness  and  poverty.  It  is  the 
hand  which  receives  and  appropriates  the  gracious  gift 
of  righteousness  to  ourselves.  True,  we  are  said  to  be 
justified  by  faith;  and  in  the  same  sense  the  beggar 
may  be  said  to  be  supported  by  the  hand  which  receives 
the  bounty  of  another.  "Where  is  boasting  then?  It 
is  excluded.  By  what  law?  Of  works?  Nay,  but  by 
the  law  of  faith."  Hence  the  doctrine  of  justification, 
of  all  others,  is  best  calculated  to  humble  the  pride  of 
the  human  heart,  and  to  attribute  all  the  glory  of  li 
sinner's  salvation  to  the  free  grace  of  God. 

3d.  The  justification  of  a  sinner  does  not  imply  any 
infringement  upon  the  regular  order  of  distributive  jus- 
tice, but  on  the  contrary  it  takes  place  by  a  strict  refer- 
ence to  this  order,  so  as  highly  to  honor  it.  For,  accord- 
ing to  the  doctrine  of  substitution,  there  is  no  need  of 
any  suspension  of  this  order;  no  need  of  any  infringe- 
ment; no  need  of  any  violation,  for  the  obedience 
required  has  been  rendered;  the  penalty  or  threaten- 
ing has  been  executed;  the  righteousness  demanded 

has   been   wrought   out;    and   so   this   order   is   fully 

12* 


142  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

niaintainecl,  while  "mercy  and  truth  have  met  together, 
righteousness  and  peace  have  kissed  each  other,"  in  ' 
the  justification  of  a  sinner. 

4th.  This  suhject  teaches  us  the  absurdity  of  eternal 
justification;  for  if  we  are  justified  by  faith  instrumen- 
tally,  we  cannot  have  been  justified  eternally;  faith 
could  not  act  as  an  instrument  before  it  had  an  exist- 
ence. This,  I  think,  is  self-evident,  and  if  so,  the  sen- 
timent alluded  to  is  self-evidently  absurd.  Besides, 
when  a  sinner  is  justified,  he  is  at  the  same  time  par- 
doned. If  therefore  he  was  eternally  justified,  he  must 
have  been  an  eternal  sinner,  consequently  he  must 
have  been  eternal;  or  else  he  must  have  acted  before 
he  had  an  existence.  The  first  presumption  is  j^utting 
him  in  possession  of  an  incommunicable  attribute  of 
the  Deity,  while  it  is  contrary  to  fact;  the  latter  is  a 
self-evident  absurdity.  And  in  addition  to  this,  pre- 
vious to  faith  believers  are  said  to  have  been  under 
condemnation:  'the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others.' 
Justification  is  the  opposite  of  condemnation.  Now, 
for  a  person  to  be  condemned,  and  at  the  same  time 
acquitted,  and  that  in  reference  to  the  same  thing,  is 
another  palpable  absurdity.  The  scriptures  tell  us, 
"He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already."  Now, 
if  there  vv^as  a  time  (which  is  certainly  the  indisputable 
fact)  when  all  believers  were  unbelievers,  there  v.  as  a 
time  when  they  were  condemned,  and  consequently 
not  absolved  from  guilt. 

This  error  no  doubt  results  from  a  confounding  of 
God's  eternal  decree  and  his  act  pursuant  to  that  de- 
cree. His  determination  to  act,  is  one  thing;  his  act,  is 
another.  As  "known  unto  God  are  all  his  works  from 
the  beginning,"  he  eternally  decreed  to  make  man,  yet 


JUSTIFICATION    BY   FAITH.  143  ' 

man  is  not  an  eternal  being.  He  eternally  decreed  to 
create  a  world,  yet  the  world  was  not  eternally  created. 
Surely  that  intellect  must  be  dolefully  eclipsed  indeed, 
which  cannot  discover  a  distinction  so  clear,  and  at  the 
same  time  detect  the  fallacy  of  the  error  alluded  to. 

5th.  From  what  has  been  said,  we  discover  the  suffi- 
ciency of  the  atonement  to  justify  any  number  of  indi- 
viduals. We  need  no  arguments  to  prove  thisj  excepting 
that  the  atonement  was  a  perfect  obedience;  and  conse- 
quently the  perfect  righteousness  of  the  law.  Adam, 
being  the  federal  head  and  representative  of  his  whole 
race,  had  he  perfectly  kept  the  law,  would  have  secured 
the  standing  of  all;  because  his  perfect  obedience  con- 
stituted the  righteousness  of  that  law  under  which  he 
was  thus  appointed.  Any  thing  short  of  perfect  obe- 
dience had  failed  of  constituting  that  righteousness^ 
aiid  consequently  had  secured  neither  his  own  nor  the 
standing  of  any  of  his  offspring.  Had  the  obedience  of 
Christ,  therefore,  been  any  thing  less  than  perfect,  it 
had  not  been  righteousness  at  all;  and  consequently  could 
have  procured  the  absolution  of  none;  but,  being-  a 
perfect  obedience  or  righteousness,  it  is  as  unlimited  in 
its  capability  of  imputation  as  Adam's  supposed  obe- 
dience had  been.  Let  it  however  be  observed  that 
the  design  of  the  atonement  was  limited  by  the  will 
of  God,  and  it  had  a  special  reference  to  those  whom 
God,  in  his  sovereigntj",  had  determined  to  save. 

6th.  Lastly.  We  infer  from  what  has  been  said, 
-that  all  unbe%vers  are  necessarily  under  condemnation. 
The  fact  the  scriptures  abundantly  establish;  the  reason 
of  it  is  obvious.  There  must  be  righteousness  where 
there  is  an  absolution  from  guilt,  and  this  righteousness 
must  be  presented.     It  is  imputed  to  none  but  believers. 


144  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

Faith  is  the  only  instrument  by  which  it  is  received 
and  presented  before  the  court  of  heaven.  All  unbe- 
lievers, therefore,  are  destitute  of  righteousness;  con- 
sequently the  charge  of  all  their  crimes  stands  full 
against  them,  as  if  no  atonement  had  been  made. 
"He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already,"  because 
he  remains  under  the  curse  of  the  broken  covenant; 
and  his  condemnation  is  increased  "because  he  hath 
not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of 
God."  Finally  perish,  therefore,  he  must,  under  this 
augmented  weight  of  condemnation,  or  believe  in  the 
atonement  of  Christ  for  righteousness.  For  his  accep- 
tance there  is  this  day  a  tender  made  of  the  perfect 
obedience  and  righteousness  of  the  Son  of  God.  Sin- 
ner, unbeliever,  wilt  thou  be  saved  by  grace,  through 
the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus?  Wilt  thou  be 
saved  by  a  plan  infinitely  sufficient  for  thy  ransom? 
Here  is  full  redemption  from  hell,  with  all  the  blessed 
rewards  of  the  Saviours  obedience  and  blood,  tendered 
to  3'ou.  And  be  assured,  "he  that  believeth  shall  be 
saA^ed;"  while  "he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned." 
Amen. 


SERMOx\   IX. 

BY   DAVID    3I0:sF0RT,   V.    D.  31. 


CHRISTIAN  CONFIDENCE  AND  SECURITY. 

*'  In  whom  j"e  also  trusted,  after  that  5'e  heard  the  word  of  truth,  the  gospel 
of  your  salvation — in  whom  also  after  that  ye  believed  ye  were  sealed 
with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance 
mitil  the  redemption  of  the  purchased  possession,  unto  the  praise  of  his 
glor}'.  Ephesiaxs   i.  13, 14. 

The  Apostle  proves  in  the  preceding  context  tliat'Gen- 
tiles,  as  vrell  as  Jews,  had  heen  broiight  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  common  blessings  and  privileges  of  the 
Gospel,  pursuant  to  the  election  of  grace,  "  According 
as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  that  we  should  be  holj  and  without  blame  before 
him  in  lore.  Having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adop- 
tion of  children  b  j  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  good 
pleasui  e  of  his  will,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace, 
wherein  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  Beloved." 

The  Jews  "first  trusted  in  Christ,"  because  the  Gos- 
pel which  is  the  instrumental  cause  of  faith  was  first 
preached  to  them;  and  this,  we  learn  from  the  Saviour 
himself,  was  a  part  of  the  same  eternal  purpose.  "  Thus 
it  is  written,  and  thus  it  behoved  Christ  to  suffer — that 
repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in 
his  name — heginning  at  Jerusalem,'^'^  This  privilege  was 
guaranteed  to  them  by  God's  covenant  with  Abraham. 
Hence  the  chief  advantagli  of  Jews,  according  io  the 
Apostle  Paul  was,  that  "  unto  them  were  committed  the 
oracles  of  God."     The  covenants,  the  giving  of  the  law. 


146  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

and  the  promises  pertained  to  them.  Though,  hy  their 
unbelief  and  rebelhon,  they  had  forfeited  their  right  to 
these  privileges,  yet  when  the  commission  was  given  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  the  whole  world,  in  order  that 
tlie  truth  of  God  might  he  established  and  abound,  it 
was,  by  a  positive  command,  first  preached  at  Jerusar 
lem,  and  Jews,  the  natural  descendants  of  Abraham, 
first  believed  in  Christ. 

This  privilege,  however,  was  not  to  be  confined  to 
the  natural  descendants  of  Abraham;  for  the  Gentiles 
were  to  be  "fellow  heirs,"  and  of  the  same  body,  and 
partakers  of  the  promise  in  Christ  by  the  Gospel."'  And 
pursuant  to  the  divine  purpose,  long  foretold,  yet  re- 
cently more  perfectly  made  known  to  Apostles  and 
Prophets  ^'hy  the  spmi,^^  the  Gospel  had  gone  to  the 
Gentiles,  who  also,  as  well  as  Jews,  after  they  heard  it, 
"  trusted  in  Christ.'''^  And  having  believed,  they  "  were 
sealed  zvilh  the  Holy  Spirit,"  as  heirs  to  spiritual  blessings 
in  common  with  beUeving  Jews;  and  tliis  sealing  was 
to  them  an  earnest  or  security  of  eternal  salvation  not 
yet  in  their  actual  possession. 

In  the  sequel,  the  following  things  will  claim  our 
attention: 

I.  What  is  meant  by  trus(;ing  in  Christ? 

II.  The  seahng  which  those  have  who  have  truste  d 
in  him. 

III.  The  pledge  or  security,  which  this  sealing  fur- 
nishes of  eternal  salvation. 

I.  The  word  rendered  trusting,  is  originally  derived 
from  a  word  which  signifies  "  to  persuade.''  The  rea- 
son is  obvious;  because  the  act  of  trusting  another,  pre- 
supposes a  conviction  or  persuasion  in  the  mind,  that 
he  is  entitled  to  confidence.     The  same  word  is  trans- 


CHRISTIAN  CONFIDENCE  AND  SECURITY.  147 

lated  believing,  because  believing  is  an  act  of  confidence 
in  the  veracity  of  another.  Trusting  in  Christ  is  a 
confiding  in  his  ability  and  disposition  to  save  sinners, 
and  a  giving  of  credit  to  the  promises  of  grace  and  mercy 
through  him.  The  same  act  is  also  denominated  faith, 
because  it  denotes  a  firm  belief  in  divine  testimony,  or 
in  "  the  record  that  God  has  given  of  his  Son."  The 
instrumental  cause  of  it  is  the  word  of  God,  for  "  Faith 
Cometh  by  hearing  and  hearing  of  the  word  of  Qod." 
The  Ephesian  converts  believed  "  after  they  heard  the 
word  of  truth,  the  Gospel  of  our  salvation.*' 

This  act  is  called  a  saving  aci^  because  by  it  the  be- 
lieving sinner  becomes  an  heir  of  salvation.  Hence  the 
positive  and  unequivocal  promises  of  the  Gospel  to  him 
who  believeth.  "  He  that  believeth  on  him^  is  not  con- 
demned— he  that  believeth  shall  be  saved — Whosoever 
beheveth  in  him  shall  not  perish,  but  shall  have  ever- 
lasting life — He  shall  not  come  into  condemnation,  but 
is  passed  from  death  unto  life.*' 

It    is  important  here  that  we    should  be  guarded 
against  a  very  natural  error;  which  is,  to  suppose  that 
faith  secures  salvation  to  us,  on  the  ground  of  its  own 
intrinsic  worth.     The  Evangelist  John  teaches  us  that 
believing  in  Christ,  and  recei\ing  him,  are  the  same 
thing.     "  But  as  many  as  received  him.,  to  them  gave  he 
power  to  become  the  sons  of  God;  even  to  them  that 
believed  in  his  name."^^     Our  excellent  Catechism  teaches 
us  that  "  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  is  that  by  which  we  re- 
ceive him,  and  rest  upon  him  alone  for  salvation  as  he 
is  offered  in  the  Gospel."     All  this  shows,  that  faith  is 
the  humble  act  of  the  soul  by  which   it  receives  the 
gracious  gift  of  God — by  which  it  receives  the  blessings 
of  salvation  freely  bestowed,  in  view  of  the  assurance 


148  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

which  the  promises  of  the  Gospel  afford,  that  those 
blessings  are  secured  to  him  who  receives  them.  It 
is  in  other  words,  to  count  it,  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that "  Jesus  Christ  came  into 
the  world  to  save  sinners." 

In  order  that  a  sinner  may  thus  act  faith  in  Christ, 
it  is  necessary  that  he  has  a  suitable  conviction  of  his 
own  state,  as  a  sinner,  and  his  absolute  need  of  salva- 
tion. He  must  not  only  feel  that  he  is  a  sinner,  but  he 
must  also  relinquish  all  confidence  in  his  own  compe- 
tency, or  in  the  competency  of  any  other  but  Christ  to 
save  him.  Hence  a  thorough  conviction  of  his  own  sin, 
misery,  and  deplorable  helplessness,  is  presupposed  in 
the  act  of  trusting  in  Christ.  "  They  that  are  whole 
need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick."  As  none 
but  those  who  are  sick,  and  who  are  sensible  of  their 
danger,  will  employ  a  physician;  so  none  but  those  who 
feel  their  sinfulness  and  perishing  need  of  a  Saviour, 
will  humbly  submit  their  wretched  case  to  Christ,  the 
physician  of  souls. 

Observe,  further,  that  trusting  in  Christ  is  an  act  of 
confidence  in  his  ability  to  save.  This  the  conduct 
of  our  Saviour,  when  here  on  earth,  clearly  confirms. 
Such  was  the  confidence  of  the  diseased  woman,  who 
touched  the  hem  of  his  garment,  and  for  which  she  was 
approved  by  our  Lord.  When  the  two  blind  men  made 
application  for  the  reception  of  sight,  the  Saviour  ex- 
pressly asked  them,  "  Believe  ye  that  I  am  able  to  do 
this?"  Other  instances  of  the  same  kind  might  be  ad- 
duced; but  the  case  is  a  plain  one.  We  cannot  trust 
another,  where  we  have  not  confidence  in  his  ability. 

The  person,  also,  who  trusts  in  Christ,  confides  in  his 
truths  as  well  as  in  his  disposition  to  save  sinners.     A 


CHRISTIAN  CONFIDENCE  AND  SECURITY.  149 

mere  conviction  of  his  ability  to  save,  is  not  sufficient 
to  inspire  confidence  in  him  as  a  Saviour.  Power  might 
be  exerted  for  the  destruction  of  the  guilty;  and  this 
the  convinced  sinner  would  most  naturally  expect. 
But  when  the  Gospel  promises  and  invitations  are  pre- 
sented to  him,  affording  him  the  clear  evidence,  that 
the  Saviour  is  disposed  to  save  sinners ;  and  that  he  will 
disappoint  none  who  trust  in  him;  this,  connected  with 
a  conviction  of  his  ability,  inspires  confidence  in  him. 
Hence  it  is  said,  "  He  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe 
— that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek 
him."  Hence  faith  realizes  the  truth  of  the  Gospel 
promises,  as  altogether  secure;  therefore  it  is  called, 
"the  substance  of  things  hoped  for  and  the  evidence  of 
things  not  seen." 

Faith  or  trusting  in  Christ,  is  always  accompanied  by 
an  affectionate  regard  of  its  object.  Therefore  it  is 
called  "  faith  which  worketh  by  love."  The  true  be- 
liever has  an  admiring  view  of  the  supreme  excellence 
of  divine  things,  such  as  overpowers  the  allurements  of 
sensual  objects.  Faith  is  called  "  the  victory  that  over- 
cometh  the  world."  It  is  founded  in  an  exalted  sense 
of  the  infinite  beauties  of  holiness,  and  it  is  always 
accompanied  with  an  ardent  desire  to  be  like  God. 
Hence  it  leads  the  believer  continually  to  renewed  en- 
deavors after  new  obedience.  He  is  not  contented  with 
any  attainment  short  of  complete  sanctification  or  per- 
fection in  holiness.  The  fruits  of  faith  will  of  course 
be  good  works;  thus  rendering  the  believer's  profes- 
sion and  his  hfe  consistent  with  each  other.  But  espe- 
cially is  he  who  trusts  in  Christ  delighted  with  his  cha- 
racter as  a  Saviour.  In  the  estimation  of  such  a  one, 
"he  is  the  chief  among  ten  thousand  and  altogether 

13 


150  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

lovelj."     The  twofold  nature  of  the  Mediator,  renders 
him  pccuUarly  an  object  of  desire,  because  he  is  thus 
suited  to  his  Tsork;  thus  our  nature  is  exalted,  and  the 
believer  through  him  is  enabled  to  claim  relation  to  the 
throne  of  Heaven.     In  his  character  as  a  prophet  he  is 
amiable,  because  the  believer  being  convinced  of  his 
own  spiritual  blindness  and  ignorance,  sees  his  suitable- 
ness in  that  character  to  his  own  desperate  wants.     As 
a  priest,  the  Saviour  is  no  less  lovelj;  because  the  be- 
liever bein  g  convinced  of  his  great  guilt,  of  the  indis- 
pensable claims  of  that  law  which  he  has  transgressed, 
and  of  his  own  incompetency  to  meet  those  claims  short 
of  his  suffering  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire;  Christ,  in 
the  office  of  priest,  having  made  full  satisfaction  to  those 
claims  by  his  sufferings,  for  all  who  believe  in  him, 
becomes  an  object  of  peculiar  loveliness  and  desire. 
He  is  just  such  a  Saviour  as  a  law  condemned  sinner 
needs.     Nay,  he  is  the  only  possible  Saviour;  for  none 
in  Heaven  or  earth,  except  Jesus  the  Mediator,  is  able 
to  make  an  adequate  atonement  for  sin.    The  righteous- 
ness of  God,  in  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  could  not  appear 
in  any  other  way  than  through  the  sufferings  of  his  own 
son.     Here  mercy  and  truth  meet  together;  righteous- 
ness and  peace  embrace  each  other.     Salvation  from 
sin  and  from  wrath  is  possible,  while  the  claims  of  the 
divine    government  are  perfectly  sustained.     God   is 
''just  and  yet  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus,-^ 
The  believer  admires  such  a  scheme  of  salvation,  and 
often  in  the  ecstacy  and  joy  of  his  soul,  he  exclaims, 
Oh!  the  depths  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of 
God;  how  unsearchable  are  his  judgments  and  his  ways, 
past  finding  out?" 

Christ  is  also  unspeakably  lovely  to  the  believer,  in 


CHRISTIAN  CONFIDENCE  AND  SECURITY.  151 

his  office  as  King.  Tliere  is,  in  every  good  man,  much 
sin  to  be  mortified;  much  corruption  and  pride  to  be 
subdued — a  work  utterly  beyond  the  power  of  man. 
The  behever,  in  his  own  estimation,  is  sure  to  fail  of 
salvation,  provided  this  work  depends  upon  himself. 
But  the  Saviour,  as  a  King,  subdues  the  pride  and  cor- 
ruption of  the  human  heart,  and  thus  "  he  purifies  unto 
himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works." 
When  Paul  exclaimed,  '•  Oh !  wretched  man  that  I  am, 
who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death!*' 
immediately  he  triumphed  in  the  power  of  Christ;  "I 
thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.*'  The  be- 
liever's confidence  in  Christ  embraces  him  as  a  whole 
Saviour,  for  Christ  "is  made  of  God  unto  us,  wisdom, 
righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption." 

Again.  Faith  in  Christ  is,  in  its  origin,  j9?/re/?/  divine, 
Paul  testifies  that  "  it  is  the  gift  of  God.*'  He  also  calls 
it  the  "  spirit  of  faith,*'  and  for  no  other  reason,  we  ap- 
prehend, than  that  it  is  a  spiritual  exeitise^  of  which  the 
Divine  Spirit  is  the  author.  Christ,  hy  his  spirit^  is  the 
'*  author  Rud  Jinisher  of  our  faith.*'  Faith  is  not  the 
mere  assent  of  the  natural  understanding  to  divine  truth, 
but  it  contemplates  the  facts  exhibited  in  the  Gospel 
as  lovely  and  acceptable.  It  does  not  merely  admit 
that  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  but  it 
accounts  it  a  faithful  saying  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation. 
This  supposes  a  spiritual  discernment  of  the  intrinsic 
nature  of  its  object:  but  observe,  "  the  natural  man," 
that  is  the  mere  intellectual  man^  "  discerneth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foohshness  unto 
him;  neither  can  he  know  therfi^  for  they  are  spiritually 
discerned."  The  viewing  of  an  object  as  lovely,  im- 
plies the  pre-existence  of  a  corresponding  relish  in  the 


153  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

soul ;  but  such  taste  for  divine  beauties  has  no  existence 
in  the  mere  intellectual  man^  for  he  is  carnal,  and  "  the 
carnal  mind  is  enmity  to  God."  "  Faith  that  works  by 
love"  presupposes  the  "  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  the 
heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost,"  for  this  love  is  its  foundation 
— ^it  is  the  divine  spring  of  action  to  this  holy  exercise. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  examine  the  second  leading 
item  suggested  in  the  text,  which  is — 

The  scaling  of  those  who  have  trusted  in  Christ. 

We  shall  have  occasion  to  show  that  the  sealing  of 
"  the  Holy  Spirit  of  Promise"  is  the  work  of  regenera- 
tion ;  the  incipient  state  of  sanctification  in  the  heart  of 
the  believing  sinner.  It  is  perhaps  not  improper  to 
observe  by  way  of  anticipation,  that  we  have  not  time 
to  examine  minutely  the  question  which  seems  to  be 
naturally  agitated  here — whether  faith  precedes  re- 
generation?— for  the  text  says,  "after  that  ye  be- 
lieved, ye  w^ere  scaled,'^''  Let  it  sufiice  to  say,  however, 
that  independent  of  the  Spirit's  illuminating  influence, 
in  taking  of  the  things  of  Christ,  and  showing  them  to 
sinners,  independent  of  his  renewing  the  will  and  the 
affections,  there  is  not,  and  there  cannot  be,  an  evan- 
gelic faith  of  that  nature  which  has  now  been  de- 
scribed. While,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  just  as  true 
that  no  covenant  b  lessing  is  sealed  to  any  one,  until  he 
is  in  Christ  by  faith.  But  because  the  instant  a  sinner 
believes  he  is  in  Christ,  and  whenever  "he  is  in  Christ 
he  is  a  new  creature,"  faith  and  regeneration  are,  in 
fact,  inseparable,  as  it  regards  time.  No  man  is  a  be- 
liever without  regeneration;  nor  is  any  one  regenerated 
without  faith. 

With  regard  to  the  sealing  of  believers,  it  will  per- 
haps not  be  out  of  place  to  be  a  httle  particular.     Let 


CHRISTL\N  CONFIDENCE  AND  SECURITY.  153 

it  be  remarked  that  the  language  of  the  text  is  figura- 
tive, and  taken  from  the  custom  of  designating  property 
bj-  a  mark  or  seal;  or  rather,  perhaps,  from  the  custom 
of  conferring  legal  privileges,  or  confirming  contracts, 
by  aflixing  a  seal  or  signature.  Believers  are  God's 
special  property  marked,  designated,  or  sealed  with  his 
own  image  upon  their  hearts.  Hence  they  are  called, 
"  his  portion  and  the  lot  of  his  inheritance^^  The  servants 
of  God  are  said  to  be  "  sealed  in  their  foreheads,*'  and 
thus  they  are  disthiguished  from  the  wicked,  who  are 
said  "  not  to  have  the  seal  of  God  upon  their  foreheads." 
Saints  are  again  represented  as  having  "  the  Father's 
name  written  upon  them."  And  after  the  consumma- 
tion of  all  things  it  is  said,  that  "  they  shall  see  his  face 
and  his  name  shall  be  in  their  foreheads,"  not  only,  we 
apprehend,  as  the  evidence  of  God's  claim  to  them  as 
his  people,  but  as  his  own  signature,  securing  to  them 
their  privileges  as  such. 

Again,  Jehovah  pledges  himself  to  "put  his  law  in 
MezV  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts:''  and 
this  is  his  signature  to  his  covenant  with  them;  for  it 
Immediately  follows,  "I  will  be  their  God  and  they 
shall  be  my  people."  They  on  their  part,  at  the  time 
they  first  trust  in  Christ,  are  represented  by  that  act  as 
"  subscribing  to  the  Lord,  and  naming  themselves  by 
the  name  of  Jacob,"  and  Jehovah  is  represented  on  his 
part  as  making  his  signature  to  the  same  covenant,  by 
writing  his  name  upon  their  foreheads,  or,  which  is  the 
same  thing,  his  law  upon  their  hearts. 

A  signature,  whatever  be  its  matter  or  form,  binds  the 
truth  and  integrity  of  the  party  making  it  to  the  per- 
formance of  something  stipulated.  A  seal  is  the  secu- 
rity given  of  something  conferred,  or  to  be  performed, 

13* 


154  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

t  ■ 

and  such  security  it  is,  just  in  proportion  as  the  truth 
and  ability  of  the  parly  making  it  is  entitled  to  confi- 
dence. It  is  the  confirmation  of  a  promise  or  a  privi- 
lege conferred,  as  a  promissory  note  signed  by  an  indi- 
vidual; a  contract  between  two  individuals  mutually 
subscribed,  or  an  instrument  of  writing  by  which  a  legal 
privilege  is  conferred  and  which  has  the  seal  of  the 
court  or  stale  afiixed  to  it. 

That  God  has  in  different  ages  dealt  with  men  on 
principles  which  have  an  analogy  to  our  commercial 
and  civil  intercourse,  is  evident  both  from  the  Old  and 
New  Testament  state.  Thus  in  the  covenant  made 
with  Abraham,  in  which  he  secured  to  Abraham  and 
to  his  natural  seed,  the  external  privileges  of  his  visible 
kingdom,  the  sign  of  circumcision  was  expressly  given 
as  the  divine  signature  to  that  covenant,  and  this  sign 
in  the  flesh  of  an  Israelite  was  a  pledge  of  God's  truth 
which  '•  has  abounded  to  many." 

Nov,'  let  it  be  observed  that  circumcision  was  an 
emblem  of  regeneration.  This  is  evident  from  the  com- 
mand to  "  circumcise  the  heart;"  and  from  the  unre- 
generate  being  called  "uncircumcised  in  heart."  The 
regenerated  are  called  '•  the  circumcision  who  worship 
God  in  the  Spirit" — are  said  to  be  "circumcised  with 
the  circumcision  made  without  hands,  in  putting  off  the 
body  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh."  And  why  all  this,  but 
because  circumcision  which  was  an  external  sign  of 
external  privileges  was  an  emblem  of  regeneration, 
which  is  an  internal  sign  of  invisible  privileges.  The 
first  secured  to  the  seed  of  Abraham,  the  written  law, 
the  promises,  in  a  word  "  the  oracles  of  God  " — the  lat- 
ter secures  to  believers  the  blessings  of  eternal  salvation 
through  Christ.     The  first  was  a  seal  of  a  temporary 


CHRISTIAN  CONFIDENCE  AND  SECURITY.  155 

covenant;  the  latter  of  that  everlasting  covenant  which 
is  well  ordered  and  sure.  God  promises  to  make  with 
those  who  trust  in  him, ''  an  everlasting  covenant,  even 
the  sure  mercies  of  David.""  By  trusting  in  Christ,  they 
become  one  with  him;  partakers  of  his  righteousness, 
and  by  virtue  of  such  relation  to  him,  they  are  account- 
ed the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty.  The 
whole  is  expressed  in  that  one  passage  already  quoted. 
"To  as  many  as  received  him,  (Christ)  to  them  gave  he 
power  to  become  the  sons  of  God;  even  to  them  that 
believe  in  his  name,*'  and  this  power  is  confirmed  and 
established  forever  by  the  Spirit's  signature,  or  seal. 

We  proceed  to  the  consideration  of  the  third  thing 
proposed,  which  is  the  security,  pledge,  or  assurance 
which  this  sealing  of  the  Spirit  gives  of  future  and  eter- 
nal salvation. 

It  is  said  to  be  "  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance  until  the 
redemption  of  the  purchased  possession.*'  The  pur- 
chased possession  is  that  eternal  salvation  which  the 
Saviour  purchased  by  his  death,  and  of  which  he  is  for 
this  cause,  "the  author  to  all  who  obey  him,"*  or  which 
is  the  same  thins:,  trust  in  him. 

Let  us  observe  that  an  "earnest,  is  a  part  of  a  full 
sum  to  be  afterwards  paid,  and  is  a  positive  security  of 
the  full  payment  to  be  afterwards  made,  in  proportion 
as  the  person  giving  it  is  entitled  to  confidence.  As 
to  its  moral  oljligation,  it  is  equally  binding  with  a 
formal  signature,  for  it  is  a  sign  of  something  to  be 
performed. 

The  beauty  of  the  figure  in  this  case  appears  from 
this  simple  fact.  The  earnest  is  in  kind  the  same  as 
tlie  full  sum,  though  not  the  whole  of  it.  Regenera- 
tion is  in  kind  the  same  as  sanctification,  yet  it  is  only 


156  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

tlic  commencement  of  the  work.  In  regeneration  we 
commence  our  spiritual  existence,  being  made  new 
creatures;  being  renewed  in  the  whole  man  after  the 
image  of  God ;  but  in  every  part  imperfect.  In  sanc- 
tification  we  grow  to  the  full  stature  of  perfect  men  and 
women  in  Christ.  The  perfection  of  this  work  is  "  the 
end  of  our  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  our  souls." 

Now  the  doctrine  taught  is  this;  as  the  earnest  is  to 
him  who  has  received  it,  the  assurance  that  the  full  bar- 
gain shall  be  made  good,  so  is  the  work  of  sanctification 
commenced  in  the  soul,  an  assurance  to  him  who  pos- 
sesses it,  that  this  work  shall  be  completed  in  his  eter- 
nal salvation.  The  same  apostle  uses  this  remarkable 
and  similar  language.  "  Now  he  which  establishes  us 
with  you  in  Christ  is  God,  who  hath  also  sealed  us  and 
given  us  the  earnest  of  the  spirit  in  our  hearts."  Again 
he  calls  this  earnest  of  the  Spirit  "  the  first  fruits  of  the 
Spirit."  For  as  the  first  fruits  were  to  the  Jews,  a 
pledge  or  assurance  of  a  future  crop,  so  is  the  work  of 
sanctification  in  its  commencement,  a  pledge  on  the 
part  of  its  author,  to  the  believing  sinner,  that  he  will 
complete  this  same  work  in  his  eternal  salvation. 

And  why  not?  Does  the  eternal  Jehovah  give  his 
signature  to  a  covenant,  and  is  his  seal  not  to  be  de- 
pended upon?  Can  he  forfeit  his  word?  Is  not  his 
pledge,  his  integrity,  his  truth  to  be  depended  upon 
above  all  others?  And  is  it  possible  for  that  inherit- 
ance to  be  held  back,  of  which  his  work  in  the  heart 
of  a  believer  is  the  earnest,  the  seal,  the  first  fruits? — 
Nay,  to  suppose  it  to  fail,  is  to  impeach  the  integrity  of 
unerring  truth.  Men  who  enter  into  contracts;  who 
solemnly  pledge  themselves  to  the  performance  of  cer- 
tain things  promised,  are  liable  to  moral  changes,  or 


i 


CHRISTIAN  CONFIDENCE  AND  SECURITY.  157 

changes  of  purpose;  but  God  is  of  one  mind  and  changes 
not.  His  "gifts  and  callings  are  without  repentance," 
that  is  not  liable  to  a  change  of  mind  or  purpose  in 
the  giver. 

But  it  maj  be  said,  that  though  God  is  unchangeable 
and  never  will  forfeit  his  promises  to  his  people,  yet 
they,  on  their  part,  may  cease  to  be  his  people,  and 
thus  forfeit  their  right  to  salvation.  But  we  answer, 
that  their  ceasing  to  be  his  people  would  suppose  at 
once  a  real  forfeiture  of  the  promise  on  the  part  of 
Jehovah;  for  the  promise  that  they  shall  be  his  people 
is  just  as  positive  as  that  he  will  be  their  God.  "  I  i€ill 
be  their  God,  and  they  sAa/Z  he  my  people."  And  again: 
"  And  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  them, 
that  I  will  not  turn  away  from  them  to  do  them  good ; 
but  I  will  put  my  fear  in  their  hearts  that  they  shall  not 
depart  from  ??ie.*'  To  keep  them  from  departing  from 
him,  is  a  part  of  the  stipulation  on  his  part,  to  w  Inch  he 
gives  his  seal. 

And  why  should  it  be  otherwise?  The  new  creation 
as  much  depends  on  the  efficiency  of  divine  power  as 
the  old;  and  why  should  we  suppose  such  an  exertion 
of  divine  efficiency  to  be  made  for  nought?  But  this 
would  be  the  fact,  provided  the  sanctification  of  the 
soul  should  finally  fall  short  of  eternal  salvation.  Could 
the  immutable  purpose  and  wisdom  of  Jehovah  be  ad- 
mired, in  such  an  event?  Surely  not;  and  therefore  the 
everlasting  covenant,  in  which  believers  in  Christ  are, 
through  grace,  made  parties,  precludes  the  possibility 
of  failure,  by  the  most  positive  stipulations  sealed  with 
his  own  signature,  on  the  part  of  God.  '•  The  redemp- 
tion of  the  purchased  possession"  is  to  be  "  to  the  praise 
of  his  glory." 


158  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

Inspiration  informs  us  further,  that  "  The  righteoas 
also  shall  hold  on  his  way,  and  he  that  hath  clean  hands 
shall  be  stronger  and  stronger;"  that  "  The  path  of  the 
just  is  as  the  shining  light,  that  shincth  more  and  more 
unto  the  perfect  day."  Our  Saviour  gives  his  people 
eternal  life  and  declares,  ''they  shall  never  perish  f'^  and 
tlie  Apostle  John,  speaking  of  apostates,  declares, 
"  They  went  out  from  us,  hut  they  were  not  of  us;  for 
if  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  conti- 
nued with  us ;  but  they  went  out,  that  they  might  be  made 
manifest,  that  they  were  not  all  of  us."  They  never  had 
"trusted  in  Christ,"  and  of  course  they  never  had 
received  that  seal  which  is  the  "earnest"  or  certain 
pledge  of  eternal  salvation. 

The  doctrine  of  the  text  may  therefore  be  summed 
up  in  this  brief  scriptural  proposition.  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  shedl  he  savecW''  They  who  trust  in  Christ  with 
a  spiritual,  living  faith,  receive  in  the  same  instant  the 
seal  of  the  great  Jehovah,  which  secures  to  them  for 
ever  a  right  to  eternal  life. 

I  shall  conclude  with  a  few  brief  inferences. 

1.  Learn  from  this  subject  the  value  of  Christ  cruci- 
fied. He,  as  our  great  high  priest,  who  offered  his  own 
blood  to  atone  for  our  sins,  is  the  foundation  of  a  be- 
liever's confidence,  and  the  source  of  all  his  privileges. 
Independent  of  his  making  a  penal  satisfaction  for  siil, 
there  is  no  pardon,  no  acceptance  with  God,  no  right 
to  eternal  life.  For  without  shedding  of  blood  there 
was  no  remission;  but  by  the  shedding  of  his  precious 
blood  he  has  obtained  "eternal  redemption"  for  all  who 
shall  believe  on  him.  Hence  the  importance  of  preach- 
ing a  crucified  Saviour;  for  there  is  no  gospel  without 
him.     Hence  those  who  deny  his  vicarious  atonement, 


CHRISTIAN    COXFIDEXCE    AND    SECURITY.  159 

who  deny  that  he  made  a  penal  satisfaction  for  sin  to 
the  claims  of  the  divine  government,  have  no  rational 
ground  of  hope  for  salvation.  Let  us,  then,  cleave  to 
the  atonement,  on  which  all  our  hopes  for  eternal  life 
depend. 

2.  This  subject  teaches  the  value  of  a  spiritual,  living 
faith,  ''Without  faith,  it  is  impossible  to  please  God;" 
fqr  all  who  do  not  believe  are  under  the  curse.  Christ 
redeems  from  the  curse  those,  and  those  ohh",  who  be- 
lieve; for  he  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to 
none  else.  It  is  therefore  in  the  act  of  trusting  in 
Christ  onlv  that  the  sinner  is  freed  from  condemnation, 
for  bj  it  he  is  brought  into  the  Saviour,  and  made  a 
partaker  of  his  righteousness.  There  is  no  condemna- 
tion to  them  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus.  But  such  also 
as  believe  are  the  objects  of  divine  complacency;  be- 
cause they  are  made  his  sons  by  the  spirit  of  adoption. 
They  have  his  name,  his  law,  his  nature,  engraved  on 
their  hearts,  as  a  privilege  inseparable  from  faith.  In 
short,  all  their  spiritual  privileges  in  Christ  result  from 
faith  in  him.  By  faith,  they  have  all  spiritual  riches; 
without  it,  ihey  are  destitute,  and  must  perish  for  ever. 
Hence  the  urgent  nature  of  the  exhortation,  "  believe 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;"  for  "he  that  believeth  shall 
be  saved,  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned." 

3.  This  subject  teaches  us  the  astonishing  love  and 
condescension  of  Jehovah;  his  love,  in  giving  his  Son 
to  die  for  his  people,  and  his  Holy  Spirit  to  produce 
their  faith  and  thus  bring  them  to  a  living  union  with 
the  Saviour.  This  is  unparalleled  love.  But  when 
we  see  him  becoming  a  party  in  the  everlasting  cove- 
van  t,  in  which  his  people  are  sharers,  and  exclusively 
benefited,  when  we  see  him  write  his  name  upon  their 


160  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

worthless  hearts,  and  thus  securing  to  them,  by  his  un- 
erring and  immutable  truth,  the  blessings  of  that  cove- 
nant forever,  we  ought  to  feel  ourselves  constrained  to 
crj  out,  What  astonishing  condescension!  "Lord, 
what  is  man,  that  thou  art  thus  mindful  of  him?" 

Angels  view  this  condescension  with  admiration,  and 
extol  the  great  Jehovah  on  our  behalf;  how  much 
more  should  we  admire,  and  adore,  and  praise! — We, 
who  are  thus  raised  from  misery,  degradation,  and  just 
wrath,  to  states  of  eternal  exaltation  and  glory! 

4.  This  subject,  while  it  teaches  us  the  absolute 
certainty  of  the  believer's  salvation,  at  the  same  time 
shows  us  that  the  doctrine,  when  well  understood,  is 
not  liable  to  abuse-  It  is  a  doctrine  honorable  to  God, 
honorable  to  his  wisdom  and  his  goodness,  but  especially 
so  to  his  eteri^al  truth.  But  when  we  understand  how 
the  believer's  salvation  is  secured,  the  very  security 
guards  him  against  the  supposed  abuse  itself.  It  is 
often  objected  to  this  excellent  doctrine,  that  it  is  cal- 
culated to  encourage  the  presumptuous  to  sin  at  the 
expense  of  divine  goodness  and  forbearance;  but  when 
we  learn  that  the  divine  security  in  this  case  is  nothing 
less  than  his  law,  written  upon  the  heart,  his  fear,  im- 
planted in  the  soul,  and  that  this  work  secures  his  own 
kind  interference,  so  that  believers  shall  not  depart 
from  him,  the  subject  is  completely  guarded  against 
the  alleged  abuse.  Whoever  thus  finally  departs  from 
God,  no  matter  what  his  pretext  may  be,  gives  evidence 
to  himself  and  all  others,  that  he  never  was  a  child  of 
the  covenant;  that  he  never  had  the  fear  of  God  im- 
planted in  his  heart;  for  this  fear,  according  to  the 
promise,  is  to  guard  all  who  are  the  subjects  of  it  from 
final  apostacy. 


CHRISTIAN  CONFIDENCE  AND  SECURITY.  161 

2.  This  subject  shows  us  clearly  who,  and  who  only 
are  in  covenant  with  God.  They  are  such  as  subscribe 
unto  the  Lord  and  name  themselves  by  the  name  of 
Jacob.  By  faith  they  are  one  with  Christ.  They  are 
Christ's  property,  his  sheep  whom  the  Father  gave  him ; 
and  now  the  Saviour  has  brought  them  to  himself,  they 
have  received  his  Father's  name  upon  their  hearts. 
And  as  the  happy  result  of  all,  they  have  the  same 
spirit,  who  wrote  this  name  upon  their  hearts,  "  witness- 
ing with  their  spirits  that  they  are  the  children  of 
God."  Hence,  let  Christians  learn  to  examine  them- 
selves, whether  they  be  in  the  faith,  and  never  rest 
contented  until  they  find  the  clear  evidence  within 
themselves,  that  they  are  "sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit 
of  promise,"  which  is  the  "earnesf^  of  eternal  salvation. 

Finally.  Let  unbelievers  learn  how  great  encou- 
ragement is  given  them  to  trust  in  Christ.  This  encou- 
ragement is  nothing  less  than  the  prospect  of  eternal 
salvation.  And  what  greater  motive  can  be  presented 
than  this?  It  is  not  earthly  riches,  nor  honor,  nor  tem- 
porary pleasure;  but  it  is  glorj',  and  honor,  and  immor- 
tality, and  eternal  life  in  heaven.  And  is  not  the 
object  of  sufficient  importance?  Is  not  the  veracity 
and  power  of  Jehovah  entitled  to  your  highest  confi- 
dence? O  come,  and  rest  your  souls  on  Christ,  without 
an  interest  in  whom  your  sins  will  destroy  you  forever. 
Come,  and  be  a  party  in  a  covenant  with  God.  Come, 
and  have  his  seal  upon  your  hearts.  Come,  and  have 
that  "earnest"  of  a  heavenly  inheritance,  and  thus  be 
secure  of  "the  purchased  possession;"  and  then  you 
shall  also  be  monuments  'Uo  the  praise  of  his  glori/\ 
forever.     Amen. 

14 


SERMON  X.* 

BY   TUE   REVEREND   REUBEN   FKA3IE. 

BLESSEDNESS    OF    JUSTIFICATION. 

Therefore  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God,  through  our 

Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Rom.  v.  1. 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  grand  centre  of  the  gos- 
pel system.  From  him,  as  the  sun  of  righteousness, 
emanate  all  the  heams  which  enlighten  the  soul  dark- 
ened by  sin.  Through  him  alone,  the  transgressor,  far 
from  God  by  wicked  works,  can  be  brought  nigh. 
However  much  those  who  are  strangers  to  themselves, 
and  blind  to  their  own  lost  condition  may  be  disposed 
to  rest  upon  their  own  works  for  salvation,  he  who  is 
truly  an  heir  of  glory  rests  upon  him  alone  who  has 
finished  transgression,  made  an  end  of  sin,  and  brought 
in  everlasting  righteousness,  as  the  ground  of  accept- 
ance with  God.  This  remark  is  strikingly  exemplified 
in  the  case  of  the  apostle  Paul.  Before  his  conversion 
he  was  a  proud,  self-righteous  Pharisee.  Being  a 
stranger  to  himself,  and  a  stranger  to  the  extent  and 
spirituality  of  God's  holy  law,  his  hope  of  heaven,  on 
the  merit  of  his  own  works,  was  firm.  He  was  alive 
without  the  law  once.  But  no  sooner  had  his  mind 
been  enlightened,  no  sooner  had  he  been  made  sensible 

*  Delivered  before  the  Presbyteiy  of  Cincinnati,  as  a  part  of  trials  for 
ordination,  and  now  published  by  the  particular  request  of  some  who 
heard  it. 


BLESSEDNESS    OF   JUSTIFICATION.  163 

of  his  true  condition,  of  his  proper  character,  than  all 
his  former  hopes  vanished.  "  The  commandment  came, 
sin  revived,  and  he  died.*'  Although  before  his  conver- 
sion he  showed  himself  a  most  violent  persecutor,  and 
despised  a  crucified  Saviour,  jet  afterwards  he  could 
saj,  in  the  most  emphatic  language,  "  God  forbid  that 
I  should  glorj  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  Notwithstanding  "he  labored  more  abun- 
dantly than  all  the  other  apostles,  and  was  in  stripes 
above  measure,  in  prisons  more  frequent,  in  deaths  oft; 
of  the  Jews  five  times  received  forty  stripes,  save  one; 
thrice  was  beaten  with  rods,  once  was  stoned,  thrice 
suflfered  shipwreck,  a  night  and  a  day  was  in  the  deep ; 
in  journeyings  often,  in  perils  of  waters,  in  perils  of 
robbers,  in  perils  by  his  own  countrymen,  in  perils  by 
the  heathen,  in  perils  in  the  city,  in  perils  in  the  wilder- 
ness, in  perils  in  the  sea,  in  perils  among  false  brethren, 
in  weariness  and  painfulness,  in  watchings  often,  in 
hunger  and  thirst,  in  fastings  often,  in  cold  and  naked- 
ness;"— notwithstanding  these  great  trials  characterized 
his  service  in  the  ca-use  of  God,  yet  he  renounced  all 
confidence  in  his  own  faithfulness  as  meritorious  of  eter- 
nal life,  and  looked  away  both  from  his  sinfulness  and 
his  services,  to  him  who  hung  upon  the  tree,  as  "the 
way,  the  truth,  and  the  life."  Nor  was  he  satisfied 
barely  with  receiving  Christ  as  the  Lord  his  righteous- 
ness; but  being  an  apostle  and  preacher  of  the  gospel, 
he  labored  to  direct  others  also  to  the  source  from  which 
his  hope  of  heaven  was  derived. 

Thus  we  find  in  the  preceding  part  of  this  epistle, 
the  apostle  labors  to  show  that  bi/  the  deeds  of  the  law  no 
flesh  shall  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God,  but  that  th^ 
righteousnsss  of  God,  zchich  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  unto 


164  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

all  and  upon  all  them  that  believe^  is  the  robe  which  alone 
will  screen  sinners  from  the  divine  wrath,  and  be  a 
suitable  ornament  in  which  to  walk  the  streets  of  the 
heavenly  city.  After  liaving  stated  and  confirmed  the 
doctrine  of  justification,  the  apostle  proceeds,  in  the 
chapter  of  which  the  text  is  a  part,  to  show  the  happi- 
ness of  those  who  are  justified.  "Therefore,  being 
justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

It  is  proposed,  in  this  discourse,  first,  to  speak  more 
particularly  of  the  nature  and  ground  of  the  sinner's 
justification;  and,  secondly,  of  the  blessedness  of  those 
who  are  justified. 

I.  The  nature  and  ground  of  the  sinner's  justificationr 
The  \\ovd.  justify,  in  a  scripture  sense,  does  not  signify 
to  make  inhercntl}^  holy,  but  is  a  forensic  term,  and 
signifies  to  declare  just.  This  may  be  seen  by  a  refer, 
ence  to  different  passages  in  the  word  of  God.  The 
first  to  be  noticed  of  this  kind  is  the  25th  chapter  of- 
Deuteronomy,  and  *lst  verse.  "If  there  be  a  contro- 
versy between  men,  and  they  come  unto  judgment, 
that  the  judges  may  judge  them,  then  they  ^\m\\  justifii 
the  righteous  and  condemn  the  wicked.  In  this  passage 
are  either  expressed  or  implied  a  law,  and  judges,  and 
persons  arraigned  for  trial.  The  judges  are  not  to 
form  the  characters  of  those  brought  before  them,  but 
merely  to  declare  what  their  characters  are.  They 
arc  to  pass  upon  the  righteous  the  sentence  of  justifica- 
tion, and  on  the  wicked  the  sentence  of  condemnation; 
or  in  other  words  to  declare  tliat  the  rigliteous  are 
righteous,  or  that  they  stand  acquitted  according  to 
law,  and  that  the  wicked  are  condemned  according  to 
the  same  law.     Another  passage  v^'hich  goes  to  show 


BLESSEDNESS   OF  JUSTIFICATION.  165 

that  the  word  justify  is  used  in  the  sense  above  men- 
tioned, is  found  in  the  17th  chapter  of  the  book  of 
Proverbs,  and  the  15th  verse.  "He  i\mt  jiistifieth  the 
wicked,  and  he  that  condemncth  the  just,  even  they  both, 
are  abomination  to  the  Lord."  Now,  the  sentence 
passed  by  any  man,  whatever  may  be  his  authority, 
cannot  make  a  person  inherently  either  holy  or  unholy. 
But,  understanding  the  words  justify  and  condemn  in  a 
declarative  sense,  the  import  of  the  passage  is  plain. 
He  that  declares  the  wicked  in  the  eyes  of  the  law,  to 
he  just,  and  he  that  declares  that  the  righteous  man, 
by  the  same  law,  stands  condemned^  while  at  the  same 
time  he  ought  in  justice  to  be  acquitted,  "even  they 
both  are  abomination  to  the  Lord.*'  In  the  same 
sense  is  the  woid  justify  used  when  it  is  said,  "Wisdom 
is  justified  of  her  children."  The  divine  wisdom  would 
be  perceived,  approved,  and  set  forth  in  its  proper  light. 
And  also  when  it  is  said  of  God,  "  That  thou  mightest 
be  justified  in  thy  sayings."  God  is  the  same  yester- 
day, to-day,  and  forever;  and  in  all  his  doings  and  say- 
ings infinitely  just.  But  the  apostle  meant  to  say,  that 
notwithstanding  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews  and  their 
rejection  of  the  Messiah,  the  faithfulness  of  God  was 
manifest  or  set  forth,  in  that  he  had  fulfilled  his  promises. 

The  scriptural  sense  of  the  word  justify,  therefore, 
being  to  declare  or  manifest  to  be  just  or  righteous, 
and  this  being  the  sense  in  vvhich  we  are  to  use  it  when 
we  speakof  the  justification  of  the  sinner,  the  question 
now  arises,  how  God  can  maintain  his  own  truth  and 
justice,  and  jet  justify  those  who,  by  his  righteous  law, 
are  condemned. 

That  all  men  have  broken  the  law  of  God,  and  are 
consequently  condemned,  is  perfectly  evident  from  the 

14* 


166  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

scriptures  of  truth.     As  it  is  written,  "There  is  none 
righteous;    no,  not  one.     There  is    none  that  under- 
standeth;  there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God.     They 
are  all  gone  out  of  the  way.     They  are  together  be- 
come unprofitable.     There  is  none  that  docth   good; 
no,  not  one.     Their  tliroat  is  an  open  sepulchre;  with 
their  tongues  they  have  used  deceit.     The  poison  of 
asps  is  under  their  lips:  whose  mouth  is  full  of  cursing 
and  bitterness.     Their  feet  are   swift  to  shed  blood. 
Destruction  and  misery  are  in  their  ways;  and  the  way 
of  peace  have  they  not  known."     From  this  character 
of  sinners  none  are  exempt.  .  "For,"  adds  the  apostle, 
"all  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God." 
This  being  the  case,  ^t  is  utterly  impossible  for  any  to 
he  justified  in  the  sight  of  God,  "by  the  deeds  of  the 
law."     The  condition  of  the  law  is,  "The  man  that 
doeth  these  things  shall  live  by  them;"  that  is,  he  that 
obeys  the  law  perfectly  shall  have  eternal  life  as  a 
reward  for  his  obedience.     But  wheii  the  law  is  once 
violated,  eternal  life,  by  obedience  to  it,  is  no  more 
possible ;  nay,  those  who  have  violated  it  are  exposed 
to  its  curse.     For  "cursed  is  every  one,"  says  the  word 
of  God,  "that  continucth  not  in  all  things  which  are 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them."     This,  in 
the  nature  of  things,  must  be  so.     God  cannot  con- 
sistently pronounce  the  sinner  just,  without  a  perfect 
righteousness.     His  judgment  is  always  according  to 
truth;  which  would  not  be  the  case,  if  he  would  declare 
him  who  had  violated  his  law  to  be   righteous  on  ac- 
count of  his  own  obedience,  because  that  obedience 
would  be  imperfect.     Besides,  the  law  of  God  is    a 
just  law,  being  given  by  a  Being  infinitely  just.     And 
the  law  being  just,  its  penalty  must  be  just,  which  is  a 


BLESSEDNESS    OF   JUSTIFICATION.  167 

part  of  the  law.     The  penalty  being  just,  it  would,  of 
course,  be  just  in  God  to  inflict  it.     But  if  it  would  be 
just  in  him  to  inflict  it,  it  would  be  manifestly  unjust  in 
him  not  to  inflict  it:  otherwise,  it  would  be  just  in  God 
to  pursue   two   courses   of  conduct  directly  opposite; 
which  is  preposterous.     The  justice  of  God,  then,  view- 
ing the  sinner  as  he  is  in  himself,  requires  his  condem- 
nation.    Xor  can  he  do  any  thing  to  merit  the  favor 
of  Ms  offended  Sovereign.     Even  should  amendment  of 
life  take  place,  this  cannot  satisfy  for  past  offences. 
The   di\ine  law  requires  perfect  and  perpetual  obe- 
dience.    We  are  bound,  during  our  whole  existence, 
to  love  God  with  all  our  hearts.     If  we  should  obey 
his  will  perfectly  from  a  given  period,  this  would  not 
atone  for  sins  before  committed.     It  would  be  in  vain 
for  the  culprit  to  plead  his  former  obedience  in  extenu- 
ation of  his  crime.     A  thousand  holy  acts  can  be  no 
excuse  for  one  unholy  deed.     Nor  if  the  sinner  should 
exercise  repentance  for  his  sins,  would  this  merit  the 
favor  of  the  Almighty.     The  law  demands  obedience, 
not  repentance.     Whatever  connexion  repentance  has 
with  our  acceptance  with  God,  it  is  not  our  Saviour. 
It  does  not  merit  the  pardon  of  one  sin,  nor  the  least 
favor  from  our  offended  Creator,     Let  us  apply  this  to 
human  government.     Would  we  consider  the  repent- 
ance manifested  by  a  condemned  criminal  a  suflicient 
reason  why  he  should  be  set  at  liberty?     Would  we 
justify  the  chief  magistrate  for  granting  him  pardon  on 
this  ground?     Nay;  if  such  a   course   were   pursued, 
would  we  not  feel  that  our  property  and  our  lives  were 
in  jeopardy?     If,  then,  such  a  course  is  unjust  in  human 
government,  would  it  not  be  in  the  divine?     It  is  plain 
that  when  we  have  once  \iolated  the  law  of  God,  we 


168  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

deserve  to  sufTer  its  penalty.  And  if  ever  we  arc  saved 
from  this  punishment,  it  cannot  he  on  account  of  our 
obedience  to  the  law,  or  any  thing  else  that,  of  our- 
selves, we  can  perform.  For  it  is  by  grace  that  we  are 
saved,  if  saved  at  all.  And  if  it  be  of  grace,  then  it  is 
no  more  of  works;  otherwise  grace  is  no  more  grace. 

Since,  then,  it  is  impossible  for  the  sinner  to  work 
out  a  righteousness  adequate  to  the  claims  of  the  law, 
and  since  these  claims  cannot  be  laid  aside,  the  question 
still  recurs,  how  can  God  be  just  and  justify  the  sinner! 
In  order  to  this,  two  things  are  necessary.  As  the  law 
has  been  broken,  and  its  penalty  incurred,  so  the  law 
must  be  obeyed  and  its  penaltj'^  endured.  The  first, 
the  sinner  cannot  do;  and  if  the  second  is  done  by 
him,  he  is  eternally  lost.  But  a  remedy  is  provided. 
"Lo,  I  come,"  said  Christ,  "in  the  volume  of  the  book 
it  is  written  of  me,  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God.*' 
He  came,  and  took  upon  him  human  nature,  "  was  born 
of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  that  he  might  redeem 
them  that  were  under  the  law.*'  The  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  second  person  in  the  adorable  Trinity,  hav- 
ing condescended  to  be  the  substitute  for  the  sinner, 
obeyed  the  law  in  his  stead,  and  endured  its  curse. 
Thus  he  "magnified  the  law  and  made  it  honorable," 
and  thus  wrought  out  a  righteousness  which,  when 
imputed  to  the  sinner,  is  the  ground  of  his  justification 
before  God.  That  this  righteousness  has  been  wrought 
out  by  Christ,  that  it  is  the  proper  and  only  ground  of 
the  sinner's  justification,  we  shall  now  attempt  to  prove 
by  the  word  of  God. 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  being  the  coequal  and  co- 
eternal  Son  of  God  and  being  God  himself,  could  have 
been  under  no  obligation  to  assume  human  nature  and 


BLESSEDNESS  OF  JUSTIFICATION.  1G9 

become  subject  to   the  law  which  man  was  bound  in 
duty  to  obey.     Yet  he  did  condescend  to  become  man, 
to  be  "  made  under  the  law,''  as  the  Apostle  expresses 
it,  that  he  might  render  obedience  to  it  in  the  place  of 
the  sinner.     For  sajs  Christ  himself,  '•  Think  not  that 
I  come  to  destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets:   I  am  not 
come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil.     For  verilj  I  say  unto 
you,  till  heayen  and  earth  pass,  one  jot  or  one   tittle 
shall  in  no  wise  pass  from  the  law  till  all  be  fulfilled." 
The  law  of  God  being  holy,  just,  and  good,  it  could 
never  be  laid  aside.     Its  nature  and  its   claims  are  as 
firm  as  the  throne  of  Jehoyah.     But  Christ  has  obeyed 
it  perfectly.     He  was  holy,  harmless,   and  undefiled; 
and  he  has  not  only  obeyed  it  actively,  but  passively. 
'•  For  what  the  law  could  not  do  in  that  it  was 'weak 
through  the  flesh,  God  sending  his  own  son  in  the  like- 
ness of  sinful  flesh  and  for  sin,  (or  a   sin  offering,  as  it 
might  be  rendered,)  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh."     Here 
the  object  is  expressed,  "  that  the  righteousness  of  the 
law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh, 
but  after  the  spirit.*'     In  perfect  accordance  with  this 
passage  is  2  Cor.  v.  21.    >•  For  he,  (that  is,  God  the 
Fathejijlhath  made  him' (that  is  Christ)  to  be  sin    (or 
a  sin  offering)  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin;"^  then  the  ob- 
ject is  again  expressed,  "that  we  might   be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him,'-  or  that  we  might  be  ac- 
cepted as  righteous  in  the  sight  of  God,  for  the  sake  of 
what  he  did  and  suffered  in  our  place.     The  same 
truth  is  also  taught  in  the  first  epistle  of  Peter,  iii. 
18.,  where  we  are  told  thit   "  Christ  also  hath  once 
suffered  for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might 
bring  us  to  God."     But  again,  it  is  said  in  the  13th 
verse  of  the  3d  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians, 


170  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

"Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law, 
being  made  a  curse  for  us."  Bj  the  curse  of  the  law 
is  doubtless  meant  the  penalty  of  the  law,  or  the 
punishment  due  on  account  of  sin.  From  this  penalty 
Christ  has  redeemed  sinners  by  being  made  a  curse  for 
them,  or  by  suffering,  in  their  stead,  the  punishment 
which  they  deserved.  I  am  aware  that  it  is  objected 
that  Christ  did  not  suffer  the  penalty  of  the  law,  be- 
cause he  could  not  be  the  subject  of  remorse  of  con- 
science, and  did  not  suffer  eternally.  But  particular 
circumstances  may  be  different  in  different  cases,  and 
yet  in  both,  the  penalty  of  the  law  may  be  endured. 
For  illustration,  suppose  two  persons,  charged  with  t 
wilful  and  deliberate  murder,  the  one  innocent,  and  the 
other  guilty.  The  penalty  of  the  law  in  this  case  is 
death.  The  one  is  convicted  and  condemned  by  fair 
testimony.  The  other  is  convicted  by  false  testimony, 
and  also  condemned.  They  both  are  compelled  to 
suffer  death.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  they  both  suffer 
the  penalty  of  the  law.  And  yet  the  one  could  not 
suffer  remorse  of  conscience,  for  he  was  innocent  of  the 
crime.  So  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  being  a  holy 
Being,  he  could  not  suffer  remorse  of  conscience;  and 
the  dignity  of  his  nature  rendered  it  unnecessary  that 
he  should  suffer  eternally.  Christ,  therefore,  having 
obeyed  the  law,  and  endured  its  curse,  has  satisfied  its 
claims,  and  thus  wrought  out  a  righteousness,  which, 
being  imputed  to  the  sinner,  or  set  to  his  account  forms 
the  ground  of  his  justification.  Hence  the  apostle  Paul? 
after  showing  that  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  no  flesh 
could  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God,  adds,  "But  now 
the  righteousness  of  God  without  the  law  is  manifested, 
being  witnessed  by  the  law  and  the  prophets;  even  the 


BLESSEDNESS    OF    JUSTIFICATION.  171 

righteousness  of  God  which  is  bj  faith  of  Jesus  Christ, 
unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  believe."     "Being 
justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus:  whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be 
a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his 
righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past, 
through  the  forbearance  of  God:  to  declare  I  saj,  at 
this  time,  his  righteousness:  that  he  might  be  just  and 
the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus.*'     So 
also,  in  the  5th  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans, 
where  the  apostle  is  contrasting  our  fall  in  Adam  with 
our  restoration  bj  Christ,  sajs,  "As  by  the  offence  of 
one  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation; 
even  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one,  the  free  gift  came 
upon  all  men  unto  justification  of  hfe.     For  as  by  one 
man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,  so  by  the 
obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  [made    righteous.'' — 
These  passages  plainly  teach  the  doctrine  of  imputed 
righteousness.     And  the  great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles 
bears  still  further  testimony  to  the  same  truth,  when, 
notwithstanding  he  had  so  much  to  boast  of  as  a  Jew, 
he  says,  "Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss 
for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my 
Lord:  for  whom  I  have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things, 
and  do  count  them  but  dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ, 
and  be  found  in  him,  not  having  mine  o^n  righteous- 
ness, which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the 
faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by 
faith."     This  rigliteousness,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  pas- 
sages already  quoted,  is  received  hy  faith.     It  is  called 
"  the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ,"  and  the  "righteousness  which  is   through  the 
faith  of  Christ,"  and  in  the  text,  "Being  justified  by 


172  OniGINAL   SERMONS. 

faith.^'^     Faith  is  the  instrument,  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  the  ground  of  the  sinner's  justification. 

Nor  is  this  plan  of  justification  confined  to  the  New 
Testament  beUevers.  It  is  witnessed,  as  the  Apostle 
tells  us,  "bj  the  law^and  the  prophets."  The  very  ob- 
ject of  the  sacrifices,  under  the  old  dispensation,  was 
to  point  their  offerers  to  the  Messiah  that  was  to  come, 
as  "  the  Lord  their  righteousness."  "For  the  blood  of 
bulls  and  goats  could  never  take  away  sin."  And  the 
Prophet,  speaking  of  the  same  Messiah,  says,  "He  was 
wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our 
iniquities,  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him; 
.  and  with  his  stripes  we  are  healed.  And  elsewhere 
the  same  Prophet  says,  "I  will  greatly  rejoice  in  the 
Lord,  my  soul  shall  be  joyful  in  my  God:  for  he  has 
clothed  me  with  the  garments  of  salvation,  he  hath 
covered  me  with  the  robe  of  righteousness,  as  a  bride- 
groom decketh  himself  with  ornaments,  and  as  a  bride 
adorneth  herself  with  her  jewels." 

Having  thus  attempted  to  show  the  nature  and  ground 
of  the  sinner's  justification,  we  come,  in  the 

2nd  place,  to  speak  of  the  blc:sedness  of  those  who 
are  justified. 

"Therefore  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with 
God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  In  this  peace  are 
included  both  reconciliation  and  consolation.  Sin,  the 
great  cause  of  enmity  between  God  and  the  sinner, 
having  its  guilt  taken  away  by  the  sentence  of  justifi- 
cation, there  is  ratified  between  them  a  covenant  of 
peace  and  friendship.  The  enmity  of  the  sinner  is 
taken  away,  and  he  is  reconciled  to  the  law  and  govern- 
ment and  word  of  God. 

He  is  reconciled  to  his  law.     It  is  perfectly  evident 


BLESSEDNESS  OF  JUSTIFICATION.  173 

from  the  declaration  of  God  and  the  conduct  of  the 
sinner,  that  in  his  natural  state,  his  heart  is  at  enmity 
to  the  divine  law.  His  whole  course  through  life  is 
characterised  by  transgression  of  the  commands  of  God. 
And  it  is  written,  "  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against 
God,  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed 
can  be."  "  So,  then,  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot 
please  God.*'  Their  hearts  are  so  depraved  and  so 
much  opposed  to  the  requirements  of  Heaven,  that  no 
act  of  theirs  is  in  conformity  to  the  divine  law.  But 
the  sentence  of  justification  being  passed  upon  the  sin- 
ner, his  former  enmity  is  taken  away,  and  he  becomes 
reconciled  to  God's  holy  commandments.  The  lan- 
guage of  his  heart  is,  '•  Oh!  how  I  love  thy  holy  law." 
He  no  longer  desires  that  the  requirements  of  the  law 
should  be  lowered  down  to  suit  the  evil  inclinations  of 
his  heart,  but  wishes  to  have  his  feelings  and  conduct 
elevated  to  meet  its  claims.  Hence  he  is  engaged  in 
the  performance  of  one  of  the  duties  enjoined  in  the 
Gospel,  "  crucifying  the  flesh  with  its  affections  and 
lusts."  And  wherein  he  finds  a  failure  of  conformity 
to  God's  law,  he  laments  as  did  the  Apostle  that  the 
things  that  he  zcould,  he  does  not^  and  the  things  that  he 
would  not  he  does,  and  is  ready  to  exclaim,  "  O  wretched 
man  that  I  am,  who  shaU  deliver  me  from  the  body  of 
this  death!" 

He  is  also  reconciled  to  the  government  of  God.  Sin- 
ners, by  their  sinfiil  conduct,  not  only  show  that  they 
are  opposed  to  God's  law,  but  to  his  government.  He 
who  rebels  against  the  sovereign  of  his  nation,  and  wil- 
fully opposes  his  authority,  declares  in  language  too 
plain  to  be  misunderstood,  that  he  is  opposed  to  the 

government  of  that  sovereign;  so  every  sinner,  by  his 

15 


174 


ORIGINAL  SERMONS* 


wilful  and  known  violations  of  the  divine  law,  shows 
that  he  is  opposed  to  the  government  of  God — that  he 
desires  that  he  should  he  removed  from  his  throne,  and 
that  a  different  government  should  be  established.  But 
he  who  is  justified  by  faith,  rejoices  in  the  fact  that  God 
docs  his  pleasure  in  the  armies  of  Heaxen  and  among  the 
children  of  men,  And  can  unite  harmoniously  in  the  song 
of  the  redeemed,  ascribing  glory  and  honor,  might  and 
dominion  to  Him  that  sitteih  upon  the  throne,  and  to  the 
Lamh  for  ever  and  ever. 

He  is  moreover  reconciled  to  the  Word  of  God. 
There  are  many  who  profess  to  believe  in  a  divine 
revelation,  who  nevertheless  neglect  some  of  its  plainest 
declarations,  because  they  are  different  from  what  they 
in  their  wisdom  would  have  dictated,  or  from  what  their 
understanding  can  comprehend.  Those,  however,  who 
are  in  a  state  of  justification,  are  content  to  know,  that 
the  Bible  is  a  revelation  from  Heaven.  Knowing  this, 
they  submit  themselves  to  God  and  put  implicit  faith 
in  the  declarations  of  his  "Word.  They  are  perfectly 
reconciled  to  the  sovereignty  of  God  in  the  bestowment 
of  his  blessings — to  the  truth,  that  he  hath  mercy  on 
whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  that  whom  he  will  he 
hardenefh — to  the  truth  that  God  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  three  distinct  persons,  exist  in  the 
Godhead;  and  not  only  humbly,  but  willingly  and  joy- 
fully accept  salvation  as  a  free,  unmerited  gift,  flowing 
from  the  rich  and  sovereign  grace  of  God,  abounding 
through  his  Son  Jesus  Christ. 

Thus  being  reconciled  to  the  divine  law  and  govern- 
ment and  word,  they  can  look  up  to  God  as  their  father 
and  friend,  and  enjoy  the  consolation  that  flows  from 
this  endearing  relation. 


BLESSEDNESS  OF  JUSTIFICATION.  175 

He  has  "peace  of  conscience  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.*'  A  great  part  of  the  sinner's  misery  here,  is  a 
corroding  sense  of  guilt;  and  this  no  doubt  will  consti- 
tute a  great  part  of  his  misery  in  the  pit  of  eternal  des- 
pair. But  he  whom  God  justifies  may  indulge  the 
pleasing  and  well  grounded  hope  that  his  sins  are  all 
pardoned — that  his  transgressions  shall  never  more  rise 
in  judgment  for  his  condemnation.  He  can  look  up 
to  a  reconciled  Father,  and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory 
of  God.  The  sinner  may  indeed  enjoy  a  momentary 
peace,  but  soon  the  remembrance  of  some  past  sins  will 
harrow  up  his  soul,  and  fill  him  with  awful  forebodings. 
Or  if  his  conscience  has^  become  so  seared  as  that  he 
has  lost  all  sense  of  guilt,  still  the^  day  of  death  and  of 
judgment  awaits  him,  when  conscience  will  be  roused 
from  its  slumbers,  and  prove  an  everlasting  tormentor. 
"  There  is  no  peace,  saith  my  God  to  the  wicked.  They 
are  like  the  troubled  sea  when  it  cannot  rest,  whose 
waters  cast  up  mjre  and  dirt."  But  the  Lord  speaks 
peace  to  his  people  and  his  saii>ts — a  peace  that 
"  passeth  all  understanding." 

Moreover,  those  who  are  justified,  may  enjoy  the  con- 
soling reflection  that  God  is  their  Father,  that  they  are 
members  of  his  family.  For  they  are  no  longer  strangers 
and  foreigners^  but  fellow  citizens  u-ith  the  saints,  and  of 
the  household  of  God,  They  have  been  adopted  into  his 
familv — have  become  the  sons  and  dauo;hters  of  the 
Lord  Almighty.  Formerly  they  were  the  servants  of 
sin  and  children  of  Satan,  led  captive  by  the  great 
adversary  of  their  souls  at  his  will,  and  wandering  in 
the  ways  of  darkness  and  death.  But  God  has  inter- 
posed for  their  deliverance.  He  has  snatched  them  as 
brands  from  the  burning.     He  has  taken  their  feet  from 


176  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

the  horrible  pit  and  the  mirj  clay,  and  established  their 
goings.  The  Lord  now  fighteth  for  them,  so  that  all 
their  enemies,  however  powerful,  shall  finally  be  van- 
quished. Jesus  Christ  is  the  captain  of  their  salvation* 
Having  triumphed  over  death  and  hell  and  the  grave, 
he  has  gone  before  them  to  prepare  for  them  mansions 
of  peace  aiKl  eternal  blessedness. 

This  leads  us  to  remark  that  the  peace  enjoyed  by 
those  who  are  justified  by  faith,  is  permanent  and  ever- 
lasting. When  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  about  to 
leave  his  disciples,  and  ascend  to  his  Father  and  their 
Father,  to  his  God  and  their  God,  there  to  remain  as 
their  intercessory  High  Priest,  he  left  them  a  legacy. 
That  legacy  was  true  and  lasting  consolation.  '*  Peace," 
says  he,  "  I  leave  with  you — my  peace  I  give  unto  you, 
not  as  the  world  givcth  give  I  unto  you.  Let  not  your 
heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be  afraid.''  Consola- 
tion of  this  kind  was  no  small  legacy,  considerin 
the  state  in  which  his  disciples  were  to  be  left.  For 
although  they  had  peace  with  God,  yet  they  were  not 
free  from  enemies,  or  every  thing  adapted  to  cause 
sorrow.  For  in  this  world  they  should  have  tribulation^ 
Those  who  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  shall  suffer 
persecution.  Their  course  through  this  world  is  a  con- 
tinual warfare.  They  are  called  to  zvrcstle^  not  merely 
against  Jlcsh  and  bloody  but  against  principalities,  against 
pozvcrsy  against  the  riders  of  the  darkness  of  this  zvorld^ 
against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places.  But  in  their 
warfare,  they  have  the  consolation  that  victory  to  them 
is  sure.  For  God  who  is  their  friend,  and  who  is  infi- 
nitely more  powerful  than  all  those  who  are  against  them, 
has  provided  for  tliem  a  suitable  armor.  So  that  having 
their  loins  girt  about  zcith  truth,  and  having  on  the  breast- 


r 

"4 

,r"l 


I 


BLESSEDNESS  OF  JUSTIFICATION, 


177 


plale  of  righteousness;  their  feet  shod  with  the  preparation 
of  the  gospel  of  peace ^  and  taking  the  shield  of  faith — the 
helmet  of  sahation.,  and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  ^l^ey  shall 
be  able  to  put  all  their  enemies  to  flight,  and  obtain  a 
glorious  victory  over  all  their  spiritual  foes.  They  are 
also  called  upon  to  endure  the  common  ills  of  life.  But 
while  sutFering  these  ills,  they  may  enjoy  the  blessed 
consolation,  that  their  afiiictions  are  not  the  stripes  of 
an  angry  Judge,  but  the  friendly  chastisements  of  a 
kind  Father.  "  For  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chas- 
teneth,  and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth." 
Whatever  may  be  their  allotment  in  this  life,  whether 
sickness  or  health,  whether  prosperity  or  adversitj'^,  they 
have  the  soul-enriching,  and  heart-consoling  promise  of 
Him  whose  promises  are  yea  and  amen  in  Christ  Jesus, 
that  "  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God,  to  them  who  are  the  called  according  to 
his  purpose."  Being  clothed  with  a  perfect  robe  of 
righteousness,  they  may  confidently  indulge  the  hope 
of  a  blessed  immortality.  For  since  God  justifieth, 
"who  is  he  that  condemneth?  It  is  Christ  that  died, 
yea,  rather  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  wlio  also  maketh  intercession  for  us.  Who 
shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  Shall  tribula- 
tion or  distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness, 
or  peril,  or  sword?  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are 
more  than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us.  For 
neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principaUties, 
nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor 
height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able 
to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord."  Even  when  heart  and  flesh  shall 
faint  and  fail — when  all  earthly   comforts,   v,hich  at 


178  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

best  are  but  momentary,  shall  be  dried  up  forever — 
when  we  shall  pass  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  dcatli — even  then  the  rod  and  the  staff  of  God  shall 
comfort  us — even  then,  while  struggling  with  the  last 
enemy,  we  may  sing  the  triumphant  and  joyful  song, 
"O  Death!  where  is  thy  sting?" 

Those,  then,  who  are  justified  in  the  sight  of  God, 
enjoy  permanent  peace  in  this  life;  and  in  the  life  to 
come,  their  peace  will  be  perfect  and  unending.  Al- 
though "  the  righteous  perisheth  and  no  man  layeth  it 
to  heart:  and  merciful  men  are  taken  away,  none  con- 
sidering that  the  righteous  is  taken  away  from  the  evil 
to  come" — jct,  says  the  prophet,  "They  shall  enter 
into  peace:  they  shall  rest  in  their  beds."  The  body 
consigned  to  the  grave,  shall  enjoy  an  uninterrupted 
repose  till  the  resurrection  morn — the  spirit  ascending 
to  Heaven,  shall  enter  upon  the  enjoyment  of  that  rest 
which  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God.  There  the 
righteous  shall  rest  from  all  their  labors — "  not  a  wave 
of  trouble  roll  across  their  peaceful  breasts."  Having 
washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb,  sin,  the  great  cause  of  enmity  between 
God  and  the  sinner,  shall  be  taken  away.  The  grand 
destroyer  of  peace 'shall  himself  be  destroyed,  and  those 
who  are  clothed  with  the  perfect  and  spotless  robe  of 
Immannuel's  righteousness,  shall  partake  of  that  fulness 
of  joy,  and  drink  of  those  rivers  of  pleasure,  which  are 
at  God's  right  hand  for  evermore. — To  conclude — 

1.  We  learn  from  this  subject  the  unspeakable  obliga- 
tions under  which  believers  are  laid,  to  love,  serve,  and 
glorify  God.  When  they  were  ruined  by  the  fall,  exposed 
to  eternal  death,  and  when  there  was  no  created  eye  that 
could  pity,  no  arm  that  could  save,  "  God  laid  help" 


BLESSEDNESS  OF  JUSTIFICATION.  179 

for  tliem^  "  upon  one  who  is  mighty."     He  "  so  loved 
the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  son,  that  who- 
soever believeth  in   him   should    not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."     He  gave  him  "to  become  a  man  of 
sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief."     He  gave  him  "to 
live  a  life  of  suffering,  and  to  die  the   shameful  and 
painful  death  of  the  cross,"  that  those  who  deserved  to 
die  might  have  everlasting  life.     This  boundless  com- 
passion was  expressed  towards  creatures  too,  who  were 
characterised  by  nothing  adapted  to  call  forth  the  love 
of  a  Holy  Being.     Nay,  it  was  exercised  towards  those 
.who  had  just  such  characters  as  an  infinitely  Holy  Being 
must  abhor.     God  cannot  but  abhor  sin.     And  hence  it 
is,  that  God  is  said  to  have  commended  his  Jove  towards  us 
in  that  n^hile  we  were  yet  sinners^  Christ  died  for  us.     Re- 
member, believer,  the  salvation  which  delivers  you  from 
death  and  hell,  is  a  salvation  of  which  you  are  entirely 
unworthy — a  salvation  which  is  wholly  of  grace.    It  ori- 
ginated in  infinite  love;  was  devised  by  infinite  wisdom; 
and  was  executed   by  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  "who 
although  he  was  rich,  jet  for  your  sakes  he  became 
poor  that  you  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich."  Will 
you  not  then  be  induced  by  obligations  so  infinite  to 
glorify  God  in  your  bodies  and  your  spirits,  which  are 
doubly  his — his  by  creation,  and  his  by  redemption? 
Is  not  every  feeling  of  your  soul  in  unison  with  the  in- 
junction of  the  Gospel,  to  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God 
your  Saviour;  and  can  jou  for  one  moment  be  satisfied 
without  letting  your  hght  so  shine  that  others  seeing 
your  good  works,  may  be  induced  to  glorify  your  Father 
who  is  in  Heaven? 

2.  We  learn  the  awful  situation  of  those  who  are  not 
justified  by  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     The  wrath 


180  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

of  God,  wc  are  assured  by  his  Word,  abideth  on  them. 
They  arc  exposed — justly  exposed,  to  the  curse  of  the 
divine  law,  which  is  eternal  death.  They  are  under 
the  most  awful  sentence  of  condemnation.  For  "he 
that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  because  he 
hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son 
of  God."  And  they  are  pursuing  the  course,  the  very 
course,  adapted  to  bring  destruction,  swift  destruction, 
upon  their  heads.  By  their  unbelief,  they  are  reject- 
ing the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  whose  name  is  "  the  only 
name  under  Heaven  given  among  men  whereby  we 
must  be  saved."  If  the  sacrifice  which  he  has  made 
be  rejected, "  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin, 
but  a  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indigna- 
tion, which  shall  devour  the  adversaries."  They  also,  by 
their  persevering  wickedness,  grieve  and  resist  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  provoke  God  to  swear  in  his  wrath  they 
shall  never  enter  into  his  rest.  O  impenitent  sinner  1 
what  is  your  situation?  Think  on  3'our  present  condi- 
tion, and  be  persuaded  to  fly,  and  that  without  delay, 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  only  "  refuge  from 
the  storm  and  covert  from  the  tempest  of  the  wrath  of 
God,  which  shall  be  poured  upon  the  incorrigible  sin- 
ner in  one  eternal  slorm."  I  would  persuade  and  ear- 
nestly entreat  you  by  the  terrors  of  the  Lord  and  the 
love  of  Christ  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  In  Him  is 
pardon,  peace,  and  eternal  life. 


SERMON   XI. 

BY   THE    REVEREXD    JOSHUA   T.   RUSSELL. 


HEARERS    CLx\SSIFIED. 

Take  heed,  therefore,  how  ye  hear.       Luke  viii.  18. 

These  words  were  originally  addressed  by  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  his  beloved  disciples,  immediately  after 
his  lucid  and  interesting  exposition  of  the  parable  of  the 
sower.  They  were  undoubtedly  designed,  by  way  of 
inference,  to  present  to  their  minds  a  lesson  of  very 
great  practical  importance,  and  contain  a  peculiarly 
impressive  and  solemn  caution  against  the  neglect  or 
abuse  of  divine  instructions.  Such  a  caution  was 
necessary^  even  for  the  auditors  of  the  Son  of  God ; 
otherwise  he  himself  would  never  have  uttered  it:  for 
he  spake  not  as  man  speaketh — he  never  spake  in  vain. 
This  necessity,  then,  arose  from  the  deep-rooted  enmity 
of  the  carnal  mind  against  God.  And  as  the  essential 
principles  of  the  natural  heart  remain  unchanged,  the 
same  necessity  of  solemn  caution  on  this  subject,  still 
exists.  The  text  is,  therefore,  applicable  in  all  its 
original  force,  and  extends  to  you.  In  illustration  of 
the  truth  of  the  preceding  remarks,  and  with  a  view  of 
proving  the  present  urgent  necessity  and  practical 
importance  of  the  caution  and  instruction  contained  in 
the  text,  I  propose  to  show  you, 

I.  In  what  manner  the  gospel  is  actually  treated  hy  many 
nominal  Christians;  and 

II.  Hoiij  the  gospel  ought  to  he  received  hy  all  men* 


182  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

I.  Thcn^  I  shall  endeavor  to  describe  the  manner  in 
which  the  gospel  is  actually/  treated  hy  many  nominal 
Christians, 

By  the  very  great  variety  and  diversity  of  moral 
habits,  tastes,  and  feehnj^js,  which  are  prevalent  in 
almost  every  Christian  community,  the  task  I  have  now 
eissumed,  as  you  will  readily  conceive,  is  rendered  ex- 
tremely laborious  and  diflicult.  All  I  shall  at  present 
attempt  in  the  discussion  of  this  fruitful  topic  of  remark 
will  be  a  distinct  classification  of  such  hearers  of  the 
gospel  as  are  most  frequently  to  be  found  in  our  religious 
assemblies. 

^nd  the  first  class  I  name ^  as  being  the  m,ost  prominent^ 
because  by  far  the  most  numerous,  is  that  of  the  thought- 
less and  indifferent  hearers  of  the  gospel. 

The  age  in  which  we  live  is  unquestionably  and 
emphatically  an  age  of  moral  and  mental  light,  enter- 
prise, and  improvement.  For  the  acquisition  of  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  natural,  moral,  and  theological 
science,  and  for  enlightened  investigations  of  religious 
truth,  greater  advantages  and  facilities  were  probably 
never  cnjoj  ed,  than  those  with  which  you  are  at  present 
furnished.  You  possess,  in  your  own  native  language, 
a  translation  of  the  living  oracles  of  God,  which  has 
sustained,  for  more  than  two  hundred  years,  without 
injury,  the  most  rigid  scrutiny  of  Bibhcal  critics,  and 
the  rudest  attacks  of  learned  infidels  and  skeptics — a 
translation,  the  general  accuracy,  fidelity,  and  perspi- 
cuity of  which  are,  at  the  present  moment,  questioned, 
by  7ione,  save  those  who  are  manifestly  disqualified,  by 
their  own  ignorance,  pedantry,  or  prejudice,  for  forming 
an  enlightened  judgment  respecting  its  intrinsic  worth. 
You   may  also  easily   have  access  to  many   learned, 


HEARERS    CtiASSIFIED.  183 

logical,  systematic,  and  unanswerable  disquisitions  on 
the  genuineness,  authenticity,  truth,  and  inspiration  of 
the  holy  scriptures;  and  are  furnished,  in  rich  abun- 
dance, with  critical  annotations  and  practical  commen- 
taries on  the  sacred  text.     You  may  listen,  from  Sab- 
bath to  Sabbath,  without  interruption,  in  the  sanctuary, 
to  the  instructions,  arguments,  and  persuasions  of  living 
teachers,  who  have  been  variously  endowed  with  gifts 
and  graces,  and   sent  forth  as  ambassadors   for  God. 
You  enjoy,  in  a  word,  all  those  rich  and  invaluable 
sources  of  knowledge,  and  means  of  grace,  which  infi- 
nite wisdom  has  deemed  necessary  to  yoiir  present  hap- 
piness and  future  salvation;  and  you  are  prompted  to' 
a  serious  and  dihgent  improvement  of  them,  by  all  the 
sacred  and  powerful  motives  which  even  the  omniscient 
spirit  of  inspiration  could  suggest.     And  yet,  under  all 
these  solemn  and  interesting  circumstances,  it  is  greatly 
to  be  feared  that  not  a  few  who  peruse  the  scriptures, 
and  frequent  our  rehgious  assemblies  to  hear  the  gos- 
pel preached,  are  as  entirely  thoughtless  and  indilTer- 
ent  about  the  truths  presented  to  their  view,  as  if  they 
were  uttered  in  an  unknovrn  tongue,  and  designed  ex- 
clusively for  the  inhabitants  of  another  world.     To  all 
serious  consideration  and  reflection,  and  to  every  spe- 
cies  of  intellectual    cifort,   they   seem   habitually   to 
cherish  an  aversion  so  settled  and  unconquerable,  that 
they  will,  without  hesitation,  admit  the  truth  of  a  doc- 
trine which  seals  their  damnation,  or  boldly  discard 
that   on    which  their   everlasting   happiness   depends, 
rather  than  submit  to  the  mental  toil  and  labor  of  dili- 
gent research  and  candid  investigation.     Even  in  the 
sanctuary  of  Jehovah,  their  undisciplined  and  incon- 
stant minds  are  so  perpetually  occupied  with  trifles? 


184  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

and  their  roving  imaginations  are  so  incessantly  em- 
ployed in  pilgrimage  around  the  world,  in  search  of 
earthly  happiness,  that  the  sublimest  mysteries  of 
redemption,  although  supported  hy  the  logical  reason- 
ings of  Paul,  and  enforced  by  the  chcistened  eloquence 
of  Apollos,  must  inevitably  fail  to  arrest  and  engage 
their  attention,  or  to  awaken  in  their  volatile  hearts  a 
single  emotion  of  pleasure,  gratitude,  or  love.  Like 
Gallic,  they  care  for  none  of  these  things.  They  nei- 
ther know,  nor  zoish  to  know,  whether  the  Bible  is  a 
fable,  or  the  word  of  God;  whether  judgment,  heaven, 
and  hell  are  fictions  of  the  imagination,  or  everlasting 
realities;  whether  the. soul  is  material  and  perishable, 
or  spiritual  and  immortal ;  or  whether  they  are  destined 
in  futurity  to  glory  or  to  shame.  Strange  infatuation! 
Yet  not  more. strange  than  true!  Yes,  it  is  lamentably 
true.  Such  are  the  natural  and  common  results  of 
thoughtlessness  and  indifference  on  the  subject  of  reli- 
gion. It  was  so  in  the  first  age  of  Christianity,  when 
the  field  was  the  world,  and  the  Son  of  God  the 
preacher.  Countless  thousands  attended  on  his  minis- 
try, listened  to  his  instructions,  and  zvondercd  at  his 
splendid  miracles;  and  yet  comjiarativcli/  few  were 
interested  in  his  mission,  or  affected  by  his  doctrines. 
He  addressed  them  with  all  the  tenderness,  and  affec- 
tion, and  solemnity,  and  eloquence  of  God  incarnate;  . 
but  the  great  mass  of  his  auditors  treated  his  sublime 
and  melting  messages  as  an  idle  and  uninteresting 
tale,  and  even  while  he  wcpl^  they  mocked  at  his  anxiety, 
and  sported  with  his  tears.  As  those  who  lived  before 
the  flood  had  treated  Noah,  and,  while  he  preached, 
were  eating  and  drinking,  marrying  and  giving  in  mar- 
riage, and  knew  not  till  the  flood  came  and  swept  them 


HEARERS    CLASSIFIED.  185 

all  away;  so  did  the  dwellers  at  Jerusalem  and  the 
inhabitants  of  Judea  treat  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  the 
prophet  of  the  world.  To  use  his  own  similitude,  many 
of  his  hearers  were  like  the  beaten  and  unfruitful  way- 
side. "They  heard  his  messages,  and  then  came  the 
devil,  and  took  away  the  word  out  of  their  hearts;" 
just  as  the  fowls  of  heaven  had  devoured  the  seed  of  the 
sower  which  had  fallen  by  accident  in  the  light  and 
evanescent  dust  of  the  way-side.  They  were  so  gay, 
and  volatile,  and  thoughtless,  and  indifferent,  that  even 
the  words  of  Jesus  could  find  no  access  to  their  under- 
standings, and  make  no  permanent  impression  on  their 
hearts.  And  as  it  was  then,  so  is  it  now.  Human 
nature  is  the  same,  and  there  is  still  in  every  Christian 
congregation  a  certain  class  of  sinners,  who  have  eyes, 
but  they  see  not;  ears,  but  they  hear  not;  neither  will 
they  understand.  These  are  the  very  description  of 
people,  concerning  whom  Jehovah  spake  to  his  servant 
Ezekiel,  when  he  said,  "Also,  thou  son  of  man,  the 
children  of  thy  people  still  are  talking  against  thee  by 
the  walls  and  in  the  doors  of  the  houses,  and  speak  one 
to  another,  every  one  to  his  brother,  saying.  Come  I 
pray  you,  and  hear  what  is  the  word  that  cometh  forth 
from  the  Lord."  "And  they  come  unto  thee  as  the 
people  cometh,  and  they  sit  before  thee  as  my  people^ 
and  they  hear  thy  words,  but  they  will  not  do  them;  for 
with  their  mouth  they  shew  much  love,  but  their  heati 
goeth  after  their  covetousness.  And  lo,  thou  art  unto 
them  as  a  very  lovely  song  of  one  that  hath  a  pleasant 
voice,  and  can  play  well  on  an  instrument;  for  they 
hear  thy  words,  but  they  do  them  not."  Let  the 
thoughtless  and  indifferent  hearers  of  the  gospel  retire 
to  their  closets,  and  examine  in  the  thirty-third  chap- 

16 


18G  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

ter  of  Ezckiel,  the  portraiture  of  their  own  character^ 
as  it  has  there  been  accurately  and  distinctly  drawn  by 
him  who  knows  the  human  heart.  Let  them  thence 
learn  how  they  have  hitherto  treated  the  blessed  gos- 
pel and  its  authorized  ministers;  and  let  them  be  deeply 
humbled  for  their  ingratitude  and  impiety,  andpw^  away 
the  evil  of  their  doings. 

2.  Another  class  of  gospel  hearers  may  be  denominated 
skeptical  and  captious. 

The  time  has  been  when  this  class  of  gospel  hearers 
was  exceedingly  numerous,  bold,  and  formidable.  It 
was  thus  in  the  days  of  Christ  and  his  holy  apostles. 
The  vast  majority  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  viewed  the 
gospel  of  Christ  as  a  mere  tissue  of  absurd,  incredible, 
and  contradictory  fables  and  dogmas,  and  treated  the 
Lord  Jesus  and  his  disciples  as  illiterate  babblers,  dis- 
turbers of  the  public  tranquillity,  and  setters  forth  of 
strange  doctrines.  In  more  modern  times,  this  moral 
infection  has  spread  throughout  entire  communities, 
which  were  nominally  Christian;  and  in  the  schools  of 
philosophy  men  have  been  diligently  taught  not  only 
to  doubt  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  but  also  to  question 
their  own  real  existence,  and  the  very  being  of  a  God. 
By  such  persons  the  gospel  was  never  perused  nor 
heard,  except  for  the  express  purpose  of  discovering 
subjects  of  disputation,  caviling,  and  ridicule.  The 
claims  of  the  Bible  to  truth  and  inspiration  were  hastily 
prejudged  aad  discarded;  and,  as  a  natural  conse- 
quence, its  sacred  doctrines  and  precepts  were- impiously 
rejected  with  scorn  and  contempt.  But  the  reign  of 
open  infidelity  has  passed  away,  and  its  abandoned 
apostles  and  ministers  have  gone  to  their  oim  place. 
An  unholy  leaven  of  their  spirit,  however,  still  exists, 


HEARERS    CLASSIFIED.  187 

and  it  is  sometimes  exhibited  under  a  different  and  more 
specious  form,  even  in  the  most  favored  Cliristian  com- 
munities. Naj,  I  greatly  fear  some  may  be  found 
within  the  walls  of  this  very  sanctuary,  whose  spirits 
have  been  withered,  and  paralyzed,  and  perhaps  ruined, 
by  this  fatal  contagion.  For  some  there  surely  are 
among  us,  who  hear  the  gospel,  and  that  too  with  ap- 
parently fixed  attention,  whose  habitual  conduct  clearly 
evinces  their  total  icant  of  all  real  and  salutary  convic- 
tions of  its  truth  and  excellence.  They  may  not  per- 
haps formally  discard  the  scriptures,  or  deny  their 
divinity;  but  still  they  voluntarily  remain  in  a  state  of 
doubt  and  suspense,  which  is  scarcely  less  criminal  and 
dangerous,  than  open  infidelity.  They  listen  to  a 
preached  gospel  just  as  they  would  listen  to  an  elabo- 
rate essay  on  mere  matters  of  opinion  or  taste;  and 
regard  its  doctrines  and  precepts  simply  as  the  senti- 
ments and  maxims  of  those  who  exhibit  them.  They 
assume  to  themselves  the  prerogative  of  deciding  upon 
the  truth  or  falsity  of  the  doctnines  they  hear,  not  ac- 
cording to  the  law  and  the  testimony  of  God,  but 
according  to  their  own  preconceived  opinions,  preju- 
dices, and  wishes,  and  they  boldly  claim  the  liberty  of 
approving  or  condemning,  of  receiving  or  rejecting 
them  at  pleasure.  Others  there  are,  appertaining  to 
this  class  of  hearers,  whose  skepticism  and  captiousness 
are  limited  to  particular  requisitions  and  doctrines  of  the 
gospel.  To  select  portions  of  the  Bible  they  will  cheer- 
fully and  cordially  assent;  and  when  these  favorite  por- 
tions are  exhibited  from  the  pulpit,  they  are  satisfied  and 
pleased:  but  to  others  they  are  most  inveterately  op- 
posed; and  when  these  are  presented  to  their  view? 
they  are  disturbed  and  irritated,  and  for  relief  from 


188  ORIGIN  A  Ti    SERMONS. 

their  vexation,  thcj  have  immediate  recourse  to  the 
cavilings  of  the  captious  or  the  doubts  of  the  skeptical 
and  in  this  manner  they  mutilate  tlie  sacred  scriptures, 
reject  the  vital  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  bring  upon 
themselves  swift  and  inevitable  destruction. 

3.  Another  class  of  hearers  may  be  styled   the  formal 
and  fashionable. 

Hearers  of  this  description  are  found  in  every  Chris- 
tian congregation,  and  they  are  more  or  less  numerous 
in  any  particular  community,  in  exact  proportion  to  the 
popular  estimate  of  religion  and  its  public  services. 
Some,  who  belong  to  this  class  become  regular  attend- 
ants at  the  house  of  God,  merely  by  the  force  of  educa- 
tion and  example.  They  hear  the  gospel  preached, 
because  they  are  taught  by  others  that  it  is  an  impe- 
rious duty;  and  by  a  regular  discharge  of  this  self-deny- 
ing and  irksome  duty,  they  fondly  hope  perhaps  to 
make  atonement  for  their  sins,  and  merit  for  themselves 
the  favor  of  Jehovah.  Others  of  this  class  frequent  the 
house  of  God,  because  religion  is  popular  and  fashion- 
able, and  because  the  public  sanctuary  has  become  the 
place  of  general  resort;  and  affords  them  a  favorable 
opportunity  of  exhibiting  to  advantage  the  beauty  of 
their  persons,  the  elegance  of  their  dress,  or  the  splen- 
dor of  their  equipage.  In  the  messages  of  the  gospel 
they  feel  not  the  least  personal  interest  nor  concern  j 
and  before  the  altar  of  Jehovah  they  would  not  (as  they 
sometimes  do)  give  even  a  feigned  attention  to  the  truths 
they  hear,  did  they  not  deem  such  dissimulation  neces- 
sary to  save  them  from  the  charge  of  eccentricity  and 
indecorum.  The  grand  purposes  of  a  preached  gospel 
are,  in  their  estimation,  happily  accomplished,  when  it 
has  afforded  them  an  opportunity  to  pass  away  a  leisure 


HEARERS     CLASSIFIED. 


189 


hour  or  a  tedious  Sabbath,  in  courting  the  idle  gaze 
and  admiration  of  the  indevout  and  volatile,  or  in  exa- 
mining: the  forms  and  features,  and  habiliments  of  sur- 
rounding  worshippers.  Would  to  God  there  were  not 
in  this  fallen  world  a  solitary  original,  answering  to  the 
moral  features  now  before  you;  but  it  is  to  be  feared, 
alas,  there  are  many,  yes,  many,  who  worship  God  only 
in  form,  and  who  hear  the  gospel  simply  to  comply 
with  a  prevailing  fashion.  And  it  is  very  possible  that 
I  may  at  this  moment  address  some  unhappy  individu- 
als of  this  description.  For  in  these  sacred  courts  I 
have  sometimes  noticed  with  most  painful  emotions, 
the  restless  impatience,  the  significant  smile,  and  the 
inquisitive  glances  which  ordinarily  characterize  formal 
and  fashionable  hearers  of  the  gospel.  On  this  point, 
however,  it  is  not  my  prerogative  to  decide.  I  leave 
you  in  the  hands  of  a  heart-searching  God.  Examine 
yourselves,  therefore,  and  be  not  deceived;  for  none 
can  mock  God  with  impunity.     But 

4.  A  fourth  class  of  hearers  may  he  designated  inquisi- 
tive and  curious. 

Connected  with  almost  every  congregation  there  are 
a  few  who  bear  a  most  striking  resemblance  to  the 
ancient  Athenians,  who,  according  to  the  testimony 
of  Luke,  "spent  their  time  in  nothing  else  but  to  tell 
or  hear  some  new  thing.  Such  persons  go  to  the  house 
of  God,  not  to  be  instructed  and  edified,  but  to  be  en- 
tertfiincd  and  amused.  Not  content  v/ith  the  unex- 
plored treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  which  the 
scriptures  contain,  they  are  perpetually  searching-  after 
some  new  theory  in  ethics  and  religion,  or  some  modern 
improvements  in  the  antiquated  science  of  theology. 
The  pure  principles  of  the  gospel  are  never  acceptable 

16* 


190 


ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 


to  them  unless  they  are  ingeniously  interwoven  with  a 
long  train  of  metapliysical  speculations,  or  laboriously 
concealed  beneath  the  useless  lumber  of  learned  criti- 
cism and  classic  lore.  For  the  '•''form  of  sound  words,'^ 
recommended  by  the  apostle,  they  have  not  the  slight- 
est reverence,  and  in  defence  of  the  "faith  once  deli- 
vered to  the  saints,"  they  are  unwilling  to  expend  a 
single  effort.  In  the  language  of  Paul  to  Timothy, 
they  "arc  proud,  knowing  nothing  but  doating  about 
questions  and  strifes  of  words,  whereof  cometli  envy, 
strife,  railings,  evil  surmisings,  and  perverse  dispulings." 
They  "  are  ever  learning,  and  never  able  to  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth."  "  Now,  as  Jannes  and  Jam- 
bres  withstood  Moses,  so  do  these  also  resist  the  truth; 
men  of  corrupt  minds,  reprobate  concerning  the  faith." 
Of  such  hearers  of  the  gospel,  the  number  among  us, 
I  would  fain  believe,  is  comparatively  inconsiderable; 
but  I  dare  not  even  hope  there  are  7ione,  for  if  they 
were  numerous  and  troublesome  in  the  congregations 
of  Timothy,  Ave  may  certainly  expect  to  find  some  in 
the  congregations  of  those  religious  teachers  of  the 
present  day,  who  are  far  less  skilled  in  the  knowledge 
and  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the  scriptures  than  he 
was,  and  who  are  therefore  in  far  greater  danger  of 
exhibiting  themselves,  instead  of  Jesus  Christ  and  him 
crucified,  and  thereby  giving  countenance  and  encou- 
ragement to  the  inquisitive  and  curious.  But  on  this 
point  I  need  not  stop  to  reason.  That  such  persons 
have  lived  in  former  ages  is  unquestionably  true, 
because  their  character  and  conduct  have  been  dis- 
tinctly marked  and  recorded  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
That  such  persons  still  exist  in  some  portions  of  the 
Christian  community  is  equally  certain,  because  their 


HEARERS    CLASSIFIED.  191 

existence  in  the  last  days  has  been  clearly  and  repeat- 
edly predicted;  and  established  facts, which  have  come 
within  the  sphere  of  your  own  observation,  fully  prove 
that  these  predictions  are  literally  fulfilled.  Yes,  the 
precise  period  has  already  arrived,  of  which  Paul  the 
aged  spake  to  his  son  Timothy,  when  he  said,  '•  The 
time  will  come  when  they  will  not  endure  sound  doc- 
trine: but  after  their  own  lusts  shall  they  heap  to  them- 
selves teachers,  having  itching  ears;  and  they  shall 
turn  away  their  ears  from  the  truth,  and  shall  be  turned 
unto  fables."  And  doubtless  in  this  assembly  there 
are  some  who  have  already  acquired  a  fondness  for 
variety  and  novelty,  which  is  truly  alarming  and  dan- 
gerous: which  unfits  and  indisposes  them  for  the  candid 
and  serious  investigation  of  the  plain  and  simple  truths 
of  the  gospel,  and  which  may  ere  long  prove  fatal  to 
their  souls. 

Again,  5th.  Another  class  of  hearers  rtiay  be  terraed 
critical  and  censorious. 

Among  all  the  censurable  infirmities,  corruptions, 
and  sins  inherent  in  degraded  human  nature,  there  are 
none  perhaps  more  deeply  rooted  in  the  heart,  or  more 
frequently  exhibited  in  the  lives  of  men,  than  vanity 
and  pride ;  and  the  forms  in  which  these  hateful  vices 
of  our  fallen  nature  appear  are  diversified  and  number- 
less. In  the  particular  class  of  gospel  hearers  I  am 
now  describing,  they  are  frequently  exhibited  in  their 
hasty  and  unjust  criticisms  on  the  subject  matter  of  the 
gospel  itself,  and  in  their  severe  and  unmerited  cen- 
sures on  the  method,  style,  and  manner  of  those  who 
preach  it.  By  the  insidious  but  powerful  influence  of 
vanity  of  learning  and  pride   of  opinion,  some  of  the 


192  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

hearers  of  a  preached  gospel  arc  almost  entirely 
disqualified  for  receiving  instruction,  edification,  and 
comfort  in  the  house  of  God.  In  their  own  estimation, 
they  are  so  much  more  profoundly  versed  in  the  science 
of  theology  than  those  whom  God  has  sent  to  teach 
them,  that  they  cannot  he  enlightened  or  informed;  and 
while  they  should  he  devoutly  employed  in  digesting 
and  applying  to  their  own  souls  the  messages  they  hear, 
they  are  so  laboriously  engaged  in  treasuring  up  their 
critical  remarks,  and  preparing  their  important  cen- 
sures, that  they  have  no  time  left  to  seek  for  edification 
and  comfort.  In  this  numerous  class  of  hearers  there 
is  very  great  diversity  and  opposition  of  taste  and  opi- 
nion. Some  cannot  relish  a  preached  gospel  unless  it 
is  very  richly  adorned  with  the  tropes,  and  figures,  and 
rounded  periods  and  flowing  diction  of  the  orator  and 
rhetorician;  while  others,  in  the  opposite  extreme,  are 
equally  disgusted  with  the  slightest  departure  from  the 
most  rigid  rules  of  unadorned  simplicity.  Some  require 
the  truths  of  a  preached  gospel  to  he  exclusively  ad- 
dressed to  their  understandings  and  judgments,  and 
supported  by  the  clearest  logical  and  philosophical 
demonstrations;  w^hile  others  as  loudly  demand  power- 
ful and  pathetic  appeals  to  the  mere  natural  sympathies 
and  passions  of  the  heart.  Some  require,  in  the  herald 
of  the  gospel,  the  loud  and  varied  intonations,  the  ener- 
getic action,  and  the  melting  pathos  of  impassioned 
eloquence;  while  others  will  be  satisfied  with  nothing 
but  the  most  mild  and  chastened  manner  of  address. 
Thus  various  and  opposite  are  the  tastes  and  opinions 
of  those  who  hear  a  preached  gospel,  to  criticise  and 
censure.     To  the  great  majority  of  such  hearers,  it 


HEARERS  CLASSIFIED.  193 

will  doubtless  prove  an  offence  apd  a  stumbling  block, 
a  soucre  of  perpetual  vexation,  and  ultimatel}'  a  savour 
of  death  unto  death. 

Again,  6th.    The  last  class  of  hearers  I  at  present  name^ 
is  the  indis criminating  and  passionate. 

In  all  Christian  communities,  and  in  very  many  of 
the  visible  churches  of  Christ,  there  are  some  to  be 
found,  vrho  have  not  sufficiently  accustomed  themselves 
either  to  reading  or  reflection,  to  enable  them  to  dis- 
criminate accurately  between  truth  and  error,  or  be- 
tween minor  and  fundamental  principles  and  doctrines. 
They  hear  the  gospel  merely  to  be  moved  and  affected, 
and  all  kinds  of  preaching  which  are  followed  by  a 
powerful  effect  upon  their  natural  passions,  are  equally 
acceptable  and  pleasing;  and  they  would  be  quite  as 
likely  to  be  charmed  and  captured  with  the  wild  and 
incoherent  declamations  of  an  ignorant  fanatic,  as  with 
the  perspicuous  and  edifying  instructions  of  an  autho- 
rized and  able  defender  of  the  Christian  faith.  What- 
ever may  be  the  means  and  facilities  they  enjoy  for 
receiving  instruction,  such  persons  might  hear  the 
gospel  for  an  hundred  years,  and  die  at  last  babes  in 
knowledge.  They  are  generally  far  more  attentive  to 
the  sound  of  the  preacher's  voice,  than  to  the  solemn  im- 
port of  his  messages  from  God;  and  are  far  more  deeply 
interested  in  an  incoherent  raphsody  or  senseless  anec- 
dote, calculated  only  to  excite  their  feelings,  than  they 
are  in  the  most  lucid  and  instructive  addresses,  which 
are  designed  to  impart  light  to  their  understandings — 
conviction  to  their  judgments — and  consolation  to  their 
hearts.  In  a  word,  they  listen  to  a  preached  gospel, 
just  as  they  would  listen  to  a  graceless  fable  or  romance; 
and  are  generally  as  httle  benefitted  by  it,  as  they  are 


194  ORIGIN Ali  SERMONS. 

bj  the  fictitious  scenes  of  happiness  or  imaginary  tales 
of  wo,  which   are  painted  by  the  novehst.     With  this 
imperfect  description  of  the  manner  in  which  the  gospel 
is  actually  treated  by  many  nominal  Christians,  I  close 
my  remarks  on   my  first  general  topic    of  discourse. 
The  general  features  of  several  distinct  classes  of  the 
hearers  of  the    gospel  are  before  you,  and  the  work 
of  careful  and  impartial  self  examination,  my  hearers, 
now  devolves  on  you.     Go,  then,  I  beseech  you,  to  your 
closets,  and  search  diligently  and  prayerfully  for  the 
lineaments  of  your  own  character.     Bring  yourselves 
seriously  and  strictly  to  the  test  which  I  have  presented, 
and  ascertain  before  God,  the  class  to  which  you  re- 
spectively belong.     If  you  discover  in   yourselves  the 
slightest  resemblance  to  any  of  those   hearers  whose 
treatment  of  the  gospel  has  been  described,  consider 
and   confess   your  past  impiety  and   ingratitude,  and 
seek  by  immediate  repentance,  submission,  faith,  and 
prayer,  the  pardon  of  your  iniquities,  and  the  sanctifi- 
cation  of  your  souls;  and  then  return  again  to  the  sanc- 
tuary with  a  sincere  desire  to  ascertain  how  you  ought 
to  hear  the  gospel,  and  with  a  fixed  purpose  of  soul  in 
the  strength  of  Jehovah  to  enter,  without  delay,  upon 
the  faithful  and  conscientious  discharge  of  that  solemn 
and  imperious  duty.     And  now,  may  the  Spirit  of  Jeho- 
vah descend  upon  you,  and  conduct  you  to  a  knowledge 
of  yourselves.     Amen! 


SERMON  XII. 

BY   THE   EEVEEEXD   JOSHUA   T.  EUSSELL. 

HEARERS    INSTRUCTED. 

"  Take  heed,  therefore,  how  ye  hear."     Luke  viii,  18. 

In  a  preceding  discourse  upon  this  subject,  I  attempted 
to  describe  the  prominent  features  of  six  distinct  classes 
of  the  hearers  of  a  preached  Gospel — L   The  thought- 
less and  indifferent.     2.   The  skeptical  and  captious. 
3.  The  formal  and  fashionable.     4.    The  inquisitive 
and  curious.      5.    The   critical  and  censorious.     And 
6th,  the  indiscriminating  and  passionate.     And  having 
briefly  considered  the  manner  in  wliich  these  various 
descriptions  of  persons  ordinarily  treat  the  gospel,  ac- 
cording to  the  plan   of  discourse  then  proposed,  the 
way  is  now  prepared  for  a   discussion  of  my  second 
general  proposition ;  and  I  shall  now  attempt  to  show — 
II.     Hozo  the  gospel  ought  to  be  received  by  all  men. 
To  the  investigation  of  this  interesting  subject,  it 
becomes  us,  my  dear  hearers,  to  approach,  with  the 
deepest  reverence  and  solemnity;  for  on  the  manner 
in  which  we  treat  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  grace  of 
God,  the  everlasting  happiness  or  misery  of  oiir  immor- 
tal souls  depends.     "Faith,"'   ordinarily  "cometh   by 
hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God,"   and  the 
gospel  has  been  ordained  of  God  to  each  of  us,  either 
as  a  savour  of  life  unto  life,  or  a  savour  of  death  unto 
death.     We  never  cither  read  or  hear  it  in  vain.     It 


196  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

invariably  produces  an  effect  upon  our  moral  characters 
either  salutary  or  injurious,  and  will  be  followed  in 
eternity  by  consequences  felicitous  or  distressing,  which 
will  run  parallel  with  our  immortality.  "  Take  heed^ 
therefore,  liow  ye  hear,''''  To  a  proper  reception  of  the 
preached  Gospel,  the  first  thing  I  name  as  pre-eminent- 
ly requisite  and  necessary,  is 

1.  Serious  and  devout  attention*  Of  all  the  inquiries 
which  ever  occupied  the  mind  of  man,  that  which  re- 
lates to  the  existence,  attributes,  and  perfections  of  a 
Supreme  Being,  and  the  relations  and  duties  of  depen- 
dent creatures,  is  by  far  the  most  noble  and  sacred.  It 
is  a  subject  of  investigation  which  ought  to  be  equally 
interesting  to  the  beggar  and  the  prince — to  the  pea- 
sant and  the  sage — to  the  Jew  and  the  Gentile,  Bar- 
barian and  Scythian,  bond  and  free.  It  presents  high, 
and  imperious,  and  paramount  claims  to  the  earliest  and 
most  fixed  attention  of  every  rational  and  accountable 
being;  for,  on  the  results  of  this  inquiry,  all  men  are 
dependent  for  their  first  impressions  respecting  the  force 
and  extent  of  moral  and  religious  obligations,  and  for 
the  hope  and  prospect  of  immortality  and  life  eternal. 
A  special  communication  on  this  interesting  subject 
from  the  Great  God  himself,  must  therefore  be  regard- 
ed as  immensely  important  and  desirable;  and  if  it 
can  be  clearly  and  satisfactorily  proved  that  such  a 
communication  has  actually  been  made  to  man^  then  he 
is  unquestionably  bound  to  receive  and  examine  it  with 
the  most  serious  and  devout  attention.  You  are  not 
strangers,  my  hearers,  to  the  numerous  conclusive  and 
unanswerable  arguments  by  which  it  has  already  been 
proved  to  the  world,  that  the  Bible  came  from  God,  and 
actually  contains  such  a  communication.     In  view  of 


HEARERS    INSTRUCTED.  197 

these  various  arguments,  you  are,  therefore,  sufficiently 
prepared  to  form  an  accurate  and  enhghtened  decision 
respecting  the  sacred  claims  of  a  preached  Gospel.  If 
you  are  not  siifficiently  ingenuous  and  humble  frankly 
to  acknowledge^  I  trust  you  are  not  so  daring  and  skep- 
tical as  to  denif^  that  it  is  the  grand  instrument,  which 
God  himself  has  expressly  selected  and  ordained  for  the 
reformation  and  salvation  of  mankind.  Authenticated 
iacts,  recorded  on  the  pages  of  the  sacred  and  profane 
historian,  ahundantlv  illustrate  and  confirm  the  follow- 
ing  declaration  of  Paul,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Corinthians. 
"After  that,  in  the  wisdom  of  God,  the  world  by  wis- 
dom knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God,  by  the  foolishness 
of  preaching,  to  save  them  that  believe."  Existing 
facts  also  prove  that  a  preached  gospel  is  still  to  some 
men  a  savour  of  life  unto  life,  and  to  others  a  savour  of 
death  unto  death.  To  the  Jews  it  is  a  stumbling: 
block,  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness.  '•  But  unto  them 
which  are  called^  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  it  is  the  power 
of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God."  If  seriousness  and 
devotion,  in  intelligent  and  responsible  agents  are  ever 
proper  and  becoming,  they  are  peculiarly  and  pre-emi- 
nently so  whenever  such  agents  enter  the  sanctuary  of 
Jehovah,  to  hear  the  messages  of  the  gospel  from  his 
authorized  ambassadors.  The  house  o^  Christian  wor- 
ship is  a  hallowed  place.  It  is  the  gate  of  heaven,  and 
the  habitation  of  God!  And  the  truths  which  are 
there  proclaimed  are  imperishable  as  the  perfections 
of  Jehovah,  and  solemn  as  eternity!  It  is  incumbent 
on  every  attendant  there,  like  Moses  when  he  ap- 
proached the  burning  bush,  the  symbol  of  Jehovah's 
presence,  to  put  off  the"  shoes  from  his  feet,  and  to 
remember  that  the  very  groundhQ  occupies  is  holy*     It 

17 


198  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

is  wickedness  and  presumption  for  hearers  of  the  gospel 
to  approach  even  the  threshold  of  the  sanctuary  with 
any  otlier  feelings  than  those  of  the  deepest  reverence 
and  awe.  If  they  would  not  provoke  the  indignation 
of  their  Maker,  and  pollute  his  holy  altars  with  unhal- 
lowed fire,  they  must  dismiss  from  their  thouglits  and 
banish  from  their  hearts  the  occupations,  and  cares, 
and  pleasures  of  this  sinful  world.  They  must  realize 
the  presence,  the  omniscience,  and  the  holiness  of  God, 
and  yield  to  the  instructions  of  his  word  their  strict, 
solemn,  and  undivided  attention.  No  recollections  of 
past  events,  no  anticipations  of  future  scenes,  no  regard 
to  surrounding  objects,  should  be  permitted  for  a  mo- 
ment to  interest  the  feelings,  or  divert  the  mind  from 
the  contemplation  of  the  truth  of  God.  No  unnecessary 
movements  of  the  body,  no  interchange  of  tlioughts  and 
sentiments  should  be  suffered  to  interrupt  the  solemn 
stilness  of  Christian  devotion.  "The  Lord  is  in  his 
holy  temple;  let  all  tho  earth  keep  silence  before  him.'' 

i\gain,  2.  Intelligence  and  docility^  in  those  zvho  hear 
the  gospel,  are  equally  as  necessary  as  serious  and  devout 
attentio7u 

It  is  through  the  understanding  alone  that  the  truths 
of  the  gospel  make  their  way  to  the  heart;  and  unless 
the  former  be  informed  and  enlightened,  it  will  be 
utterly  impossible  to  make  any  permanent  and  salutary 
impressions  on  the  latter.  In  order,  therefore,  to 
receive  the  gospel  in  a  proper  manner,  and  to  derive 
from  it  all  the  spiritual  benefits  it  is  designed  to  convey, 
intelligence  in  the  hearers  is  an  indispensable  prerequi- 
site. They  should  diligently  and  prayerfully  search 
the  scriptures  daily  for  themselves,  and  by  submitting 
to  the  teachings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  should  seek 


HEARERS    INSTRUCTED.  199 

and  obtain  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  primary  and 
fundamental  doctrines  of  religion,  and  acquaint  them- 
selves with  God.  In  this  way  only  will  thej  he 
properly  qualified  to  discriminate  accurately  between 
truth  and  falsehood,  to  separate  the  wheat  from  the 
chaff,  the  precious  from  the  vile,  and  to  bring  the  sen- 
timents they  hear  from  the  pulpit  to  the  sacred  test  of 
the  law  and  the  testimony.  An  intimate  alliance  and 
an  inseparable  connexion  exists  between  real  intelli' 
gence  on  religious  subjects  and  that  docility  of  spirit 
which  ought  ever  to  characterize  the  learner  in  the 
school  of  Christ.  I  say  real  intelligence ; — but  in  this 
most  desirable  qualification  I  apprehend  there  is  a  very 
great  and  lamentable  deficiency  among  the  majority  of 
gospel  hearers,  because  there  are  comparatively  few 
who  are  willing  and  anxious  to  be  enlightened  and  in- 
structed in  the  duties  and  doctrines  of  religion.  There 
is  no  art  or  science  taught  among  men  in  vi\\\c\\  pedan- 
try is  more  injurious  and  offensive,  and  yet  there  is 
perhaps  none  in  which  it  is  more  common  and  palpa- 
ble, than  in  the  sublime,  and  holy,  and  mysterious  sci- 
ence of  theology.  Some  there  are,  who  would  fain 
persuade  us  to  believe  that  the  Bible  is  altogether  an 
unnecessary  and  useless  volume,  and  that  they  are  able, 
by  a  kind  of  intuitive  knowledge  peculiar  to  themselves, 
to  grasp  and  understand  at  once  the  entire  system  of 
religion,  and  to  decide  with  infallible  certainty  on  all 
the  moral  and  religious  duties  which  it  is  proper  for 
God  to  require,  or  his  creatures  to  perform.  And 
there  are  others,  who  profess  to  receive  the  .scriptures 
as  a  divine  revelation,  but  still  neglect  to  study  them 
with  diligence  and  constancy,  because  they  vainly 
imagine  that  they  are  endowed  by  tli^e  Holy  Spirit  with 


200  OKiGINAL    SERMONS. 

a  species  of  inspiration  by  wliicli  they  arc  cnaLlcd  to 
comprehend,  without  any  mental  apphcation  or  effort 
of  their  own,  the  spiritual  import  of  the  oracles  of 
God.  These  are  the  wide  extremes  of  skepticism  and 
superstition.  Both  are  unspeakably  irrational  and 
dangerous,  and  it  is  diflicult  to  decide  which  is  most 
destructive  to  the  souls  of  men.  But  of  this  we  are 
fully  assured,  that  those  who  are  under  the  influence 
of  either  are  totally  disqualified  for  hearing  the  gospel 
in  a  becoming  and  profitable  manner.  They  exhibit 
the  fearful  characteristics  of  those  novices  in  religion, 
who  have  been  lifted  uji  with  pride,  and  have  fallen 
into  the  condemnation  of  the  devil;  and  before  they 
can  become  wise  unto  salvation,  they  must  be  convinced 
by  a  divine  power  that  they  are  without  understandings 
and  need  to  be  taught  "  which  be  the  first  principles  of 
the  oracles  of  God." 

But  the  minds  of  those  who  are  really  intelligent  and 
skilful  in  the  word  of  God  are  always  fond  of  investi- 
gation and  research,  open  to  conviction,  and  eager  and 
anxious  to  be  corrected,  and  informed,  and  enlightened. 
To  persons  of  this  description,  the  gospel  is  rarely,  if 
ever,  preached  in  vain.  They  and  they  alone  are 
genuine  disciples.  They  shall  certainly  increase  in 
knowledge  and  grow  in  grace;  and,  according  to  the 
promise  of  their  Lord,  they  shall  know  of  tlie  doctrine 
they  hear,  "whether  it  be  of  God,"  or  whether  those 
who  preach  "speak  of  themselves." 

Let  those,  then,  who  would  receive  the  gospel  as  it 
ought  to  be  received  give  themselves  diligently,  con- 
stantly, and  prayerfully  to  the  study  of  the  word,  and 
search  for  heavenly  wisdom  as  they  would  search  for 
hidden  treasures.     Let  them  bring  to  the  ministers  of 


HEARITRS    INSTRUCTED.  201 

the  sanctuary  a  humble,  intelligent,  and  teachable 
mind;  and,  "laying  aside  all  malice,  and  all  guile,  and 
hypocrisies,  and  envies,  and  all  evil  speaking,  as  new- 
born babes,  let  them  earnestly  desire  the  sincere  milk 
of  the  word,  that  they  may  grow  thereby;"  and  then 
shall  they  fully  reap  and  enjoy,  in  their  own  happy 
experience,  the  invaluable  blessings  of  a  preached 
gospel. 

3.    It    is  also    requisite,   to  a  proper   reception   of  the 
preached  gospel,  that  it   he  heard  with   liberality  and 

CANDOR. 

By  this  I  would  not  be  understood  to  countenance 
or   recommend    that  stoical  indifference  to  fundamental 
truth,  misnamed  liberality,  which  characterizes  the  dis- 
guised Deists  of  the  p  resent  day,  nor  that  criminal  dis- 
regard of  ministerial  talents  and  qualifications,  which 
distinguishes    the  illiterate  and  fanatical  reformers  of 
our  age,  which  is  sometimes  improperly  called  candor. 
These  are  both  at  an  infinite  remove  from  the  Chris- 
tian liberality  and  candor  which  the  gospel  demands 
of  its  hearers.     But  I  would  afTectionately  and  solemnly 
enjoin  it  on  all  who  hear  the  gospel  to  remember  that 
the  treasures  of  that  gospel  have  been  committed  to 
earthen  vessels,  that  the  excellency  of  the  power  may  be 
of  God,  and  not  of   man ;  and  that  all  men  are  there- 
fore bound  to  receive  their  messages  with  a  liberal  and 
candid  allowance  for  the  diversity  of  their  gifts,  and 
the  infirmities  of  their  nature.     We  are  not  to  expect 
from  men,  however  learned  or  sanctified,  the  wisdom 
and  perfection  of  angels;  nor  are  we  at  liberty  to  neg- 
lect or  despise  their  messages,  because  they  are  not 
marked  with  the  intellectual  energy  of  a  Paul,  or  deli- 
vered with  the  manly  and  overpowering  eloquence  of 

17* 


202  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

an  Apollos.  No!  for  on  those  who  have  been  truly 
called  of  God  to  preach  the  gospel,  he  has  bestowed 
natural  talents  and  gracious  gifts,  differing  in  their 
nature  and  degrees,  in  exact  conformity  with  his  own 
sovereign  pleasure;  but  to  each  he  has  said,  "son  of 
man,  I  have  made  thee  a  watchman  unto  the  house  of 
Israel;  therefore,  hear  the  word  at  my  mouth,  and  give 
them  warning  from  me."  When,  in  obedience  to  this 
divine  iDJunction,  any  duly  authorized  minister  of 
Christ  announces  to  you  the  plain  and  simple  truths  of 
the  gospel,  you  are  under  the  most  solemn  obligations 
to  receive  him  as  a  messenger  of  God;  and  if  his  talents 
be  small,  and  his  gifts  limited,  you  are  to  regard  both 
his  matter  and  hjs  manner  with  a  liberal  and  candid 
spirit,  and  thus  you  will  be  prepared  to  derive  some 
important  benefits  from  every  gospel  sermon  which  is 
delivered  in  your  hearing. 

But  the  liberality  and  candor  required  of  all  who 
would  hear  the  gospel  properly,  go  still  further  than 
this.  They  imply  a  respectful  deference  to  the  senti- 
ments and  practices  of  -hose  who  may  honestly  differ 
from  us  in  opinion,  on  minor  points  of  doctrine,  or  un- 
important forms  of  religious  worship.  They  forbid  us 
to  reject  a  substantially  evangelical  sermon,  or  to  cen- 
sure with  severity  the  man  who  delivers  it,  merely 
because  the  truth  has  been  clothed  in  different  lan- 
guage, or  uttered  in  a  different  tone,  from  those  to 
which  we  have  been  accustomed.  Under  such  circum- 
stances. Christian  liberality  would  prompt  to  the  exer- 
cise of  forbearance  and  charity,  and  candor  demands  a 
"fair  and  impartial  judgment  on  the  opinions"  and 
manner  of  the  messenger.  In  the  language  of  another. 
Let  those  who  would  hear  the  gospel  in  a  manner 


HEARERS    INSTRUCTED. 


203 


acceptable  to  God,  and  beneficial  to  tlieir  own  souls, 
always  enter  tlie  bouse  of  God  "witb  a  temper  of  mind 
unsoured  bv  envj,  unruffled  by  malice,  and  unseduced 
bj  prejudice,  sweet  witbout  weakness,  and  impartial 
without  rigor."  Let  them  be  "exempt  on  the  one 
hand,  from  the  dark  jealousy  of  a  suspicious  mind;  and 
no  less  removed,  on  the  other,  from  that  easy  credulity 
which  is  imposed  on  by  every  specious  pretence."  Let 
them  always  carefully  cherish  and  exhibit  "that  gane- 
rons  expansion  of  mind  which  shall  enable  them  to  look 
beyond  all  petty  distinctions  of  party  and  system,  and, 
iff  their  estimate  of  men  and  things,  to  rise  superior  to 
narrow  prejudices."  Such  are  the  liberality  and  can- 
dor which  Christianity  requires  of  all  men,  and  these  I 
do  most  earnestly  entreat  you  to  exercise  at  ail  times 
when  you  listen  to  a  preached  gospel. 

4th  and  lastly.  Thed  the  gospel  may  he  properly  received^ 
it  should  always  he  heard  in  the  exercise  of  faith,  and  with 
a  spirit  of  suhmission. 

To  the  ancient  Hebrews  who  perished  in  the  wilder- 
ness, essentially  the  same  gospel  was  exhibited  by  Mo- 
ses, which  is  now  proclaimed  to  you.  "But  the  word 
preached,"  says  Paul,  "did  not  profit  them,  not  being 
mixed  with  faith  in  them  that  heard  it."  And  if  they 
were  destroyed  for  their  unbelief,  on  the  very  confines 
of  the  land  of  Canaan,  because  they  did  not  fully  accre- 
dit the  promises  of  JMoses,  what  think  you  will  be  the 
future  punishment  of  those  who  refuse  to  believe  what 
God  has  spoken  unto  us  by  his  only  Son,  the  appointed 
heir  of  all  things?  In  the  very  words  of  our  commis- 
sion, we  are  implicitly  instructed  to  say  unto  all  men, 
"He  ^'i^ihelieveth  shall  be  saved,  and  he  that  believeth 
not,  shall  be  damned."    There  is  no  alternative  between 


204  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

faith  and  submission,  and  the  penalty  of  death  eternal. 
So  plain  and  imperative  is  the  obligation  which  lies 
upon  all  men  cordially  to  believe  the  truths  of  the  gos- 
pel, and  unconditionally  to  submit  to  the  terms  of 
salvation  it  prescribes,  that  infinite  wisdom  and  benevo- 
lence has  solemjnly  decided  that  the  simple  neglect  of 
this  single  duty  is  richly  deserving  of  everlasting  punish- 
ment. Well,  then,  may  the  sacred  caution  be  repeated, 
and  deeply  should  it  be  engraved  on  our  hearts,  "  Take 
heed  how  ye  hear.^^  Let  those  who  would  not  enhance 
their  own  eternal  miseries,  by  a  voluntary  rejection  of 
light  and  abuse  of  privileges,  beware  how  they  treat  the 
instructions  of  the  ministers  of  Christ;  for  "we  are 
ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you 
by  lis:  we  pray  you,  in  ChrisCs  steady  be  ye  reconciled 
to  God."  Yes,  the  faithful  ministers  of  the  gospel  are 
g//,  without  exception,  ambassadors  from  the  high  court 
of  heaven ;  and  in  performing  the  work  of  evangelists, 
they  officiate  in  Chrisfs  stead;  and  therefore  he  has 
said,  "lie  that  heareth  you  heareth  me,  and  he  that 
despiseth  you  despiseth  me;  and  he  that  despiseth  me 
despiseth  him  that  sent  me."  To  those  who  diligently 
watch,  and  labor,  and  pray  for  precious  and  immortal 
souls,  it  is  comparatively  a  light  matter  to  be  judged, 
and  censured,  and  persecuted,  as  7ncn;  but  oh!  when 
they  arc  despised  and  rejected,  as  ministers  of  Christ, 
their  agony  of  spirit  is  indescribable  and  overwhelm- 
ing. For  tiien,  alas!  tlicy  know  that  their  gospel  is 
hidden,  and  that  tliey  shall  one  day  be  summoned  to 
the  bar  of  judgment,  as  swift  witnesses  against  those 
over  whom  their  bowels  of  compassion  yearn.  Re- 
member, then,  that  the  heralds  of  the  cross  "have  not 
followed  cunningly  devised  fables,  when   they   made 


I 


HEARERS    INSTRUCTED.  205 

known  to  you  the  power  and  coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  And  if  they  rightly  execute  their  com- 
mission, they  come  not  to  you  "with  excellency  of 
speech,  or  of  wisdom."  "And  their  speech  and  their 
preaching  is  not  with  enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom; 
hut  in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power,  that 
your  faith  should  not  stand  in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but 
in  tlic  power  of  God."  Again,  then,  I  say,  in  the 
words  of  the  evangelical  prophet,  "  To  the  law  and  to 
the  testimony;  if  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word 
it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in  them."  But  if  they 
exhibit  to  yon  distinctly  Christ  Jesus  and  him  cruci- 
fied, then  they  preach  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom;  and 
those  who  disbelieve  their  messages,  and  reject  their 
overtures  of  mercy  jeopardize  their  immortal  spirits, 
and  having  been  often  reproved  and  hardened  their 
necks,  they  shall  suddenly  be  destroyed,  and  that  with- 
out remedy.  Let  all  who  listen  to  a  preached  gospel, 
then,  be  seriously  warned  against  the  soul-destroying 
sin  of  unbelief.  In  a  dying  hour,  in  a  judgment  day, 
and  in  a  state  of  final  retribution,  it  will  avail  them 
nothing  that  they  dwelt  in  a  land  o  f  Bibles,  Sabbaths, 
and  sanctuary  privileges;  or  that  they  once  heard  the 
alarming  threatenings  of  the  law,  and  the  melting  invi- 
tations of  the  gospel.  Nay,  my  unconverted  hearers, 
so  long  as  you  continue  to  withhold  your  cordial  assent 
to  the  truths  of  the  blessed  gospel,  and  refuse  to  submit 
to  Christ,  according  to  its  righteous  requisitions,  and 
delay  to  repent  of  your  transgressions,  you  are  collect- 
ing fuel  for  the  unquenchable  flame,  and  are  industri- 
ously treasuring  up  "wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath, 
and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God.  Who 
'v^ill  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds;  to 


206  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

them,  who,  hy  patient  continuance  in  well-doing,  seek 
for  glory,  and  honor,  and  immortality,  t/ernft/  life.  But 
unto  them  that  are  contentious,  and  do  7iot  obey  the  truth') 
but  obey  unrighteousness,  indignation  and  wrath,  tribu- 
lation and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doeth 
evil;  of  the  Jew  first,  and  also  of  the  Gentile."  See, 
then,  that  ye  "refuse  not  him  that  speaketh,  for  if  they 
escaped  not  who  refused  him  that  spake  on  earth  much 
more  shall  not  we  escape  if  we  turn  away  from  him 
that  speaketh  from  heaven." 

Thus  I  have  attempted  briefly  to  describe  the  manner 
in  which  the  gospel  ought  to  be  received  by  all  men, 
and  I  have  represented  the  following  things  as  indis- 
pensably necessary  in  those  who  hear  it,  viz;  Serious 
and  devout  attention,  intelligence  and  docility,  libe- 
rality and  candor,  and  faith  and  submission.  And  now, 
suffer  me  to  close  my  remarks  with  two  or  three 
inferences  from  the  whole  subject  matter  before  us. 

1.  I  infer,  from  this  subject,  that  the  duties  of  a  gospel 
minister  are  extremely  arduous  and  difficult,  and  awfully 
responsible* 

He  is  commanded  to  give  attendance  to  reading,  to 
exhortation,  to  doctrine.  To  meditate  upon  these 
things;  to  give  himself  wholly  to  them;  that  his  profiting 
may  appear  to  all."  He  is  solemnly  charged  before 
God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  judge  the 
quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appearing,  and  his  kingdom, 
to  preach  the  word;  to  be  instant  in  season,  out  of  sea- 
son; and  to  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort,  with  all  long-suffer- 
ing and  doctrine.  He  is  to  ''study  to  show  himself 
approved  unto  God,  a  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be 
ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth,  but  care- 
fully  shunning   profane  and  vain   babblings."     In    a 


HEARERS  INSTRUCTED.  207 

word,  he  is  to  know  or  make  known  nothing  hut  Christ 
Jesus  and  him  crucified.  With  these  plain  and  expHcit 
instructions  before  him,  exemphhed  as  tliej  have  been 
by  Christ  and  his  apostles,  he  must  not  consult  with 
flesh  and  blood,  respecting  either  the  matter  or  the 
manner  of  his  preaching.  The  Bible  must  be  his  only 
rule^  and  Christ  his  only  pattern ;  and  without  regarding 
the  various  and  conflicting  opinions,  or  the  diverse  and 
often  vitiated  tastes  of  his  auditors,  he  must  striv^e  inces- 
santly to  exhibit  the  unadulterated  truths  of  the  entire 
word  of  God,  and  that,  too,  with  a  perspicuity  of  style 
and  a  simplicity  of  manner,  corresponding  with  the 
sacredness  and  responsibility  of  his  holy  office;  to  say 
nothing  at  present  respecting  the  numerous  and  com- 
plicated labors  of  the  pastoral  office,  when  you  carefully 
consider  the  subject  which  has  now  been  discussed, 
embracing  a  view  of  the  improper  manner  in  which  the 
gospel  is  actually  treated  by  many,  and  a  description 
of  the  various  qualifications  necessary  in  all  hearers, 
how  arduous,  how  difficult,  how  responsible  are  the  du- 
ties of  a  faithful  minister  of  Clirist !  Were  he  permitted 
to  spend  his  whole  time  in  the  closet  and  the  study,  it 
would  scarcely  be  sufficient  to  make  such  praparations 
for  the  pulpit  as  he  himself  deems  desirable.  Thispri- 
vilege,  however,  he  cannot  enjoy,  without  a  very  criminal 
neglect  of  other  duties  equally  as  necessary  and  indis- 
pensable. Yeipixach  the  word  he  must,  in  season  and 
out  of  season,  and  with  an  eye  single  to  the  glory  of 
God,  and  with  a  heart  intent  upon  the  salvation  of  im- 
mortal souls.  For  his  matter  and  his  manner,  he  is  held 
responsible  to  God,  before  the  bar  of  final  judgment. 
And  who — ^'who  is  siifficient  for  these  things?"' 

2.  /  infer ^  that  Christian  ministers  greatly  need  the  tender 


208  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

sympathies  and  fervent  prayers  of  all  who  have  an  interest  at 
the  throne  of  grace. 

You  have  seen,  brethren,  how  the  gospel  ever  has 
been,  and  still  is,  abused  by  multitudes  who  hear  it, 
and  you  have  also  seen  how  it  ought  to  be  received  by 
all  men ;  and  now  you  may  comprehend  in  some  degree, 
the  anxieties  and  fears,  and  distressing  apprehensions 
of  all  faithful  ministers.  At  the  peril  of  their  souls, 
they  are  forbidden  to  withhold  any  truth  of  God,  how- 
ever unwelcome  or  offensive  to  their  hearers.  They 
must  declare  to  «//,  the  counsel  of  God  whether  they 
will  hear  or  forbear.  And  when,  in  the  conscientious 
discharge  of  this  duty,  they  bring  upon  themselves  the 
unjust  censures,  persecutions,  and  ridicule  of  the  wicked, 
and  of  self  deceived  and  formal  professors  of  religion,  to 
whom  can  tliey  look  for  consolation  and  encouragement, 
but  to  the  Lord  and  the  humble  and  devout  followers  of 
the  Lamb.  In  the  approbation  of  their  own  consciences, 
the  smiles  of  God,  and  in  the  tender  sympathies  andfer- 
vent  prayers  of  the  faithful^  they  find  their  only  sources 
of  relief  and  comfort.  Oh !  withhold  not,  I  pray  you? 
'for  a  moment,  the  sympathies  and  prayers,  they  deeply 
need  and  fervently  implore.  As  Aaron  and  Ilur  sup_ 
ported  the  hands  of  Moses,  so  do  ye,  sta}'  up  the  hands 
of  those  who  minister  at  the  altar.  In  the  name  of  all 
who  preach  the  Gospel,  I  beseech  yow.  pray  for  us, 

3.  /  infer  the  fearful  doom  of  all  unfaithful  ministers^ 
and  of  their  misguided  an,d  unsanctificd  people. 

With  God  there  is  no  respect  of  persons,  and  in  the 
day  of  judgment,  all  men  will  be  examined  and  sen- 
tenced, not  according  to  specious  and  deceptive  appear- 
ances^ but  according  to  their  real  moral  characters, 
when  stripped  of  false  disguises.     Then^  the  garments 


UNITY  OF  CHRIST  AND    THE  CHURCH.  209 

of  those  ministers  who  have  sacrificed  their  consciences 
on  the  altar  of  popular  applause,  and  departed  from 
tlie  instructions  of  Jehovah,  to  avoid  the  displeasure,  or 
to  secure  the  favor  of  their  hearers — then  their  gar- 
ments will  he  found  stained  and  polluted  with  the  blood 
of  souls,  and  they,  with  all  the  unhappy  men  they  have 
deluded  and  betrayed,  must  perish  in  their  sins  together. 
That  tremendous  scene  is  full  before  me,  and  in  antici- 
pation of  meeting  you  there,  I  cannot  but  fear  and 
tremble  both  for  you  and  for  my  own  soul.  By  its 
dreadful  solemnities,  let  us  be  warned,  then,  to  take 
heed  how  we  speak,  and  how  we  hear.  For  "we  must 
all  appear  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ;"  and 
though  I  would  speak  to  you  with  the  tongue  of  men  and 
of  angels,  and  though  you  should  hsten  to  my  messages 
with  rapturous  delight,  yet  if  we  should  be  found  at 
last  destitute  of  faith,  hope,  and  charity,  with  hypocrites 
and  unbelievers,  we  should  perish  from  the  presence  of 
the  Lord  eternally* 


SERMON  XIII. 

BY    THE    REVEREND   JOHN   MATTHEWS,     D.    D. 

UNITY   OF  CHRIST   Ai\D   THE  CHURCH. 

"  And  HE  (Christ)  is  the  head  of  the  body,  the  C/mrc/i."— Col.  i.  18. 

All  systems  consist  of  parts,  more  or  less  numerous, 
connected  together,  and  contributing,  in  subserviency 
to  each  other,  in  promoting  one  ultimate  design.  Of 
such  systems  we  never  can  form  correct  ideas  unless 

18 


210  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

all  these  parts  are  taken  into  view.  But  more  espe- 
cially would  our  ideas  be  imperfect,  if  the  part  omitted 
should  be  of  vital  importance,  should  be  one  on  which 
all  the  others  depend  for  their  action  and  efficiency. 
All  descriptions  of  the  human  body  would  be  deficient, 
if  the  head  was  left  out  of  view.  This  is  not  only  a 
part  of  the  system,  but  it  is  a  vital  part;  that  one  on 
which  all  the  others  depend  for  life  and  motion.  Each 
limb,  muscle,  and  organ  may  be  accurately  described, 
and  their  appropriate  functions  pointed  out;  but  if  se- 
vered from  the  head,  these  functions  in  a  moment  will 
cease,  and  they  will  become  lifeless,  inactive  masses. 
If  the  communication  between  the  head  and  any  other 
member  should  be  interrupted,  that  member  is  deprived 
of  activity,  and  remains  useless,  until  this  communica- 
tion is  restored.  From  this  animal  system,  is  derived  a 
beautiful,  .and  instructing  illustration  of  tiie  Church, 
which  is  a  community  or  system,  organized  by  infinite 
wisdom,  embracing  a  number  of  members,  connected 
together  by  indissoluble  bonds,  in  perfect  subserviency 
and  harmony,  each  contributing  to  one  grand  result, 
the  manifestation  of  the  divine  glory.  By  the  church, 
the  manifold  wisdom,  the  power,  the  goodness,  the 
mercy,  the  long  suffering  of  God  are  made  known ;  and 
thus  by  the  Church  will  his  glory,  even  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  glory  be  displayed.  God,  who  organized 
this  system,  who  created  this  body,  has  also  given  to  it 
a  Head,  on  which  the  whole  body  with  all  its  members 
is  dependent  for  Life  and  efficiency,  for  Union  and 
harmony,  for  Direction  and  safety,  for  Honor  and  hap- 
piness. Christ  Jesus,  the  Head  of  the  Church,  will, 
through  that  divine  aid  which  we  need,  and  which  we 
implore,  be  the  subject  of  our  present  consideration. 


UNITY  OF  CHRIST  AND  THE  CHURCH.  211 

1.  Christ,  as  head  of  the  Church,  is  the  source  of 
vitahty,  the  author,  the  giver  of  hfe  to  every  member, 
and  thus  to  the  whole  body  collectively.  Such  is  the 
head  to  the  human  body.  The  functions  of  other  parts, 
the  heart  and  the  lung^,  for  instance,  are  essential  to 
life;  but  it  is  rather  as  channels  of  communication,  than 
as  sources  of  vitality.  They  may  remain  perfectly  en- 
tire, \\ithout  the  slightest  injury,  and  yet  if  separated 
from  the  head  their  functions  will  instantly  cease,  and 
the  principle  of  life  in  the  body  will  be  extinct.  The 
smallest  and  the  remotest  part  is  as  regularly  supplied 
with  nourishment  from  the  head,  as  those  which  are 
more  important  and  more  nearly  connected  with  the 
fountain  of  life.  In  like  manner,  spiritual  life,  emanat- 
ing from  Christ,  the  living  head,  pervades  the  whole 
body,  quickening  into  animation  and  action  every  mem- 
ber, however  obscure  and  unimportant  such  member 
may  be  in  the  estimation  of  the  world. 

There  are  two  senses  in  which  we  are  dead,  in  both 
of  which  Christ  is  emphatically  our  life.  On  account 
of  our  guilt,  and  in  proportion  to  it,  we  are  under  the 
condemnation  of  the  law;  we  have  been  weighed  in 
the  balance,  and  have  been  found  wanting;  sentence  of 
death  is  pronounced  upon  us  by  the  Judge  of  all  the 
earth.  Like  the  man  who  is  condemned  to  suffer  death 
for  violating  the  laws  of  the  state,  the  moment  when 
this  sentence  is  passed,  is  dead  in  the  view  of  the  law; 
he  sustains  no  other  relation  to  civil  society  than  that 
of  a  condemned  criminal.  His  animal  existence  may 
be  prolonged  for  a  few  days,  but  he  no  longer  enjoys 
the  rights  and  privileges  of  a  citizen;  in  a  civil  sense 
he  is  now  dead.  We,  by  nature,  sustain  to  the  moral 
Governor  of  the  world  no  other  relation  than  that  of 


212  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

condemned  rebels;  we  have  forfeited  all  the  rights  and 
privileges  which  belong  to  faithful  and  obedient  sub- 
jects. Our  natural  life  may,  for  a  time,  be  preserved; 
but  the/«ror  of  God  zvhich  is  life  is  lost;  the  sentence  of 
death  is  solemnlj  pronounced  upon  us.  Nor  is  it  pos- 
sible, by  any  sacrifices  which  we  can  offer,  by  any  ex- 
ertions we  can  make,  to  avert  the  stroke  of  justice  to 
which  we  are  exposed;  to  change  our  state  of  condem- 
nation into  a  state  of  favour  with  God.  Nothing  but 
the  pardon  of  all  our  sins  can  shield  us  from  this 
deserved  punishment,  and  restore  us  to  the  blessings 
enjoyed  by  the  faithful  subjects  of  the  moral  commu- 
nity. All  the  repentance  which  we  can  feel;  all  the 
reformation  which  we  can  accomplish;  all  the  services 
which  we  can  render,  will  never  diminish  the  amount, 
nor  change  the  nature  of  the  guilt  we  have  already 
contracted.  For  want  of  correct  evangelical  motives, 
while  making  these  efforts,  we  are  adding  to  this  guilt. 
In  this  sense,  Christ  is  pre-eminently  our  life.  By  his 
sufferings  and  death,  he  has  made  an  atonement  for 
sin,  which  procures  pardon  for  all  who  believe  in  him. 
Mathematical  demonstration  is  not  more  clear  or  con- 
vincing to  the  mind,  than  is  the  proof  from  the  Bible 
that  we  are  pardoned  through  his  death,  and  restored 
to  the  divine  favor  through  his  righteousness,  *' imputed 
to  us  and  received  by  faith  alone."  The  Church, 
which  is  his  body,  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood. 
Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  laze,  being 
made  a  curse  for  us.  Ye  were  redeemed^  zcith  the  precious 
blood  of  Christ,  Thou  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy 
blood,  is  the  language  of  Heaven,  where  nothing  but 
truth  is  spoken.  It  is  literally  true  that  Christ  died  for 
our  sins.     Hence,  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood, 


tJXITY  OF  CHRIST  AND  THE  CHURCH.  213 

even  the  forghencss  of  sins;  and  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath 
forgiven  us.  We  are  not  only  pardoned,  but  also  recon- 
ciled to  God  hy  the  death  of  his  Son,  Justification  in- 
cludes not  onlj  the  remission  of  our  guilt,  but  also  acce  p- 
tance  to  the  favor  of  God.  For  this  purpose,  he  is  made 
unto  us,  righteousness ;  and  we  are  7nade  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  him;  that  is,  in  him  we  obtain  that  righteous- 
ness which  God  requires  in  order  to  our  acceptance. 
Our  state  is  thus  changed:  we  ^assfrom  death  unto  life. 
Our  relation  to  God  is  changed  from  that  of  condemned 
criminals,  to  that  of  friends,  and  even  of  children,  shar- 
ing in  all  the  kindest  affection  of  our  Father.  In  Christ 
Jesus,  we  are  restored  to  the  society  of  Heaven,  to  all 
the  rights  and  privileges  of  those  who  enjoy  the  favour 
of  God. 

There  is  another  sense  in  which  we  are  dead,  and  in 
which  Christ  is  our  life.  We  are,  by  nature,  insensible 
to  the  claims  both  of  the  divine  law^find  the  gospel. 
The  tenants  of  the  grave  are  insensible  to  the  interests 
and  the  active  pursuits  of  life:  the  wealth,  the  honor, 
the  pleasure  of  this  world,  no  longer  make  any  impres- 
sion on  them.  So  are  we  insensible  to  the  real  inte- 
rests of  eternity,  to  the  intrinsic  importance  of  spiritual 
things.  The  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  againU 
all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  of  men;  but  it  awakens 
no  salutary,  no  practical  fear.  The  goodness,  the  par- 
doning mercy  of  God  is  proclaimed,-  but  no  gratitude, 
no  love  is  excited.  The  jojs  and  glories  of  heaven  are 
set  before  us;  but  not  an  effort  is  made  to  secure  them. 
Promises,  exceeding  great  and  p?'ccious  promises,  are 
made ;  but  no  confidence  is  reposed  in  them.  Our  case, 
though  in  some  respects  it  bears  a  striking  resemblance 
to  those  who  sleep  in  the  grave,  yet  in  others  is  widely 

18* 


214  ORIGINAL   SERMONSk 

different.  Tliey  make  no  opposition  to  the  active  pur- 
suits of  life;  nor  does  any  blame  attach  to  them  on  ac- 
count of  their  inscnsihilitj.  Not  so, however,  with  us: 
we  have  eyes,  hut  we  see  not,  ears,  but  we  hear  not; 
hearts,  but  we  perceive  not.  We  have,  indeed,  all  the 
intellectual  faculties  and  moral  powers  w^hich  belong  to 
rational  beings;  but  they  arc  devoted  to  the  world; 
they  are  employed  against  God  and  his  government. 
Instead  of  love,  the  heart  is  influenced  by  enmity 
against  God;  instead  of  repentance,  there  is  hardness 
of  heart;  instead  of  faith,  by  which  the  Saviour  is 
received,  there  is  unbelief,  by  which,  with  all  his 
blessings,  he  is  rejected.  We  possess,  indeed,  all 
the  natural  faculties  which  God  demands  in  his  service; 
but  we  are  without  the  moral  power,  we  have  not  the 
disposition,  the  desire  to  employ,  them  in  his  service. 
This  want  of  disposition,  instead  of  furnishing  the 
shadow  of  excu^  for  our  unbelief  and  impenitence,  is 
the  very  essence  of  sin,  the  demonstration  of  our  guilt. 

Here,  then,  is  work  for  Omnipotence  itself.  Here 
is  not  only  insensibility  to  be  quickened,  but  here  is 
opposition,  here  is  enmity  to  be  destroyed.  The  art 
and  the  maxims  of  men  may  change,  in  some  degree, 
the  outv^ard  appearances,  but  they  never  can  reach 
the  seat  of  the  disease;  there  it  will  remain,  and  there 
it  will  operate,  after  all  that  created  wisdom  and  power 
can  do.  That  power  which  can  start  tlie  pulse  of 
spiritual  life  within  us  must  reach  and  control  the  very 
origin  of  thought,  must  change  our  very  motives.  Our 
case  would  be  hopeless  if  our  restoration  depended  on 
the  skill  and  the  efforts  of  preatcd  agents.  Thanks  be 
to  God,  however,  there  is  a  vital  energy  in  Christ, 
which  sends  the  tide  of  divine  animation  through  every 


UNITY    OF    CHRIST    AND   THE    CHURCH.  215 

one  that  is  united  to  him  hy  faith.  When  this  world 
came  into  existence;  when  hght  sprang  out  of  dark- 
ness; it  was  not  at  the  requests  but  at  the  command  of 
the  Creator:  so,  at  the  command  of  the  Head  of  the 
church,  liglit  and  life  pervade  what  was  but  just  now  a 
scene  of  darkness  and  of  death.  The  soul,  even  when 
dead  in  sin,  by  the  Spirit  and  the  word  of  Clirist,  is 
quickened  into  hfe.  It  has  new  views  of  divine  truth; 
its  affections  are  placed  on  new  and  spiritual  objects; 
and  the  whole  man  is  animated  by  the  vital  principle 
of  faith,  and  governed  by  the  motive  of  love  to  God. 
If  any  man  he  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature;  or,  there 
is  a  new  creation.  New  views,  new  thoughts,  new 
affections,  and  new  motives  have  changed  the  whole 
character,  and  clearly  indicate  a  connexion  with  the 
Prince  of  Life. 

By  bestowing  the  gift  of  eternal  life  on  each  indivi- 
dual member,  it  is  bestowed  on  the  whole  body  collec- 
tively. The  whole  church  is  redeem.ed  from  the  curse 
of  the  law,  and  restored  to  the  favor  of  God,  and  to  the 
community  of  heaven.  The  whole  church  is  animated 
and  controlled  by  the  principle  of  spiritual  life  from 
Ciirist,  the  glorious  and  exalted  Head.  This  life  may 
be  communicated  through  different  channels,  be  pre- 
served and  increased  by  various  means;  but  still  it  flows 
from  the  same  inexhaustible  fulness  in  Christ.  He  has 
given  pastors  and  teachers  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints^ 
for  the  edifying  of  his  body;  the  different  members  may 
be  highly  useful  in  comforting  and  strengthening  each 
other,  according  to  the  effectual  working  in  the  measure  of 
every  part,  making  increase  of  the  body,  unto  the  edifying 
of  itself  in  love.  These  pastors  and  teachers,  however, 
and   these   members,  are  but   the   servants   of  Jesus 


216  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

Christ,  qualified  and  placed  in  the  church  for  this  pur- 
pose. The  ordinances  of  public  worship,  of  reading 
the  scriptures,  of  prajer,  of  the  holy  Sabbath,  are  emi- 
nently useful  in  animating  and  purifying  the  church; 
yet  these  are  but  means  appointed  by  infinite  wisdom; 
all  their  invigorating  effects  are  from  him  who  giveth 
the  increase. 

2.  Christ,  as  head  of  the  church,  is  the  great  bond 
of  union;  all  the  members  are  united  to  him,  and  in 
him,  to  each  other.  This  is  obviously  the  fact  in  the 
human  body.  All  the  members,  varying  as  they  do,  in 
their  functions,  their  location  and  their  importance,  are 
united  to  the  head,  by  joints  and  bands,  so  as  to  make 
one  body.  From  the  head  the  principle  of  vitality  is 
sent  to  the  remotest  extremities,  and  in  consequence  of 
this  union,  sensations  of  pleasure  and  of  pain  are  sent 
from  every  part  to  the  head;  and  thus  the  members 
sympathise  with  each  oiher.  "As  the  human  body  is 
formed  by  the  union  of  all  the  members  to  each  other 
under  the  head,  and  by  the  fitness  of  each  member  for 
its  own  office  and  place  in  the  body;  so  the  church  is 
formed  by  the  union  of  its  members  under  Christ  the 
head." 

This  is  a  spiritual  union,  of  mind  to  mind,  of  heart  to 
to  heart,  without  the  loss  of  personality,  or  individual 
agency.  It  consists  chiefly  in  faith,  in  affections,  in 
spirit,  in  design:  those  who  are  alike  in  these  respects 
are  united  to  Christ,  and  in  him,  to  each  other. 

No  truth  is  more  clearly  taught  in  the  Bible  than 
that  faith  is  the  great  bond  of  union  between  Christ 
and  his  people.  By  this  faith  they  hold,  or  as  it  may 
be  rendered,  firmly  hold  the  head*  As  the  branch  is 
united  to  the  vine,  so   arc   all   true  believers  to  the 


UNITY    OF    CHRIST    AND   THE    CHURCH.  217 

divine  Saviour.     By  this  faith,  which  consists  in  the 
knowledge  and  hehef  of  his  truth,  Christ  chvells  in  their 
hearts.     By  this  faith,  behevers  are  not  only  united  to 
Christ,  hut  also  to  each  other.     There  is  but  one  faith. 
This  is  the  faith  in  which  Abel  worshipped  and  died; 
in  which  Abraham,  hoping  against  hope,  obeyed  God; 
in  which   Moses   endured,  seeing  him  who  is   inxisible; 
which   animated  the   heart   of  Da^dd  and    Isaiah;  in 
which  the  publican  prayed,  and  was  justified;  in  which 
Paul  labored  and  suffered;  in  which  the  martyrs  bore 
testimony  to  the  truth,  and  glorified  God  in  their  death. 
In  this  faith  every  member  of  the  church,  at  this  day, 
is  living,  and  walking,  and  warring  against  the  flesh 
and  the  powers  of  darkness.     This  faith  imparts  to  all 
who  cherish  it  the  same  views  of  sin,  of  the  character 
of  God  and  the  Saviour,  of  the  nature  and  necessity  of 
holiness,  of  the  law  and  service  of  God,  of  the  happi- 
ness and  glories  of  heaven.     In  all  ages  the  Mediator, 
whether  made  known  through  the  types  of  bleeding 
victims  offered  in  sacrifice,  or  through  the  clearer  reve- 
lations of  the  gospel,  is  the  great  object  of  this  faith,  the 
ground  of  confidence  to  the  church  universal.     In  all 
believers  the  effects  of  this  faith  are  the   same,  purify- 
ing the  heart,  working  by  love,  overcoming  the  world, 
giving  peace,  and  not  unfrequently  joy  and  triumph  in 
death.     This  is  one  of  the  strongest  bonds  by  which 
the  members  of  Christ's  body  are  knit  and  compacted 
together.     They  all  think  alike  concerning  the  great 
and   fundamental   doctrines    of  the    Christian  system. 
They  may   differ,  as   they   frequently   do,   on  minor 
points;  they  may  differ  widely  on  subjects  having  no 
connexion  with  religious  belief;  but  respecting  those 


218  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

doctrines  which  are  essential  to  spiritual  life,  they  arc 
of  the  same  mind^  and  that  is  the  mind  of  Christ. 

This  faith,  which  is  the  work  of  God,  produces  in  the 
heart  those  devout  affections  which  characterize  the 
memhers  of  the  church,  and  which  unite  them  to  their 
living  head,  and  to  each  other.  By  love  they  are 
sweetly  and  powerfully  drawn  to  the  Saviour,  and 
transformed  into  his  image.  They  love  him  on  account 
of  his  glorious  character,  because  he  has  died  for  them, 
reconciled  them  to  God  by  his  death,  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  them,  and  will  come  again  to 
receive  them  to  himself.  Nor  does  he  withhold  from 
them  the  strongest  proof,  the  most  encouraging  assu- 
rances, of  his  love  to  them.  His  love,  indeed,  has  this 
peculiarity,  that  it  is  an  cvcrlasling  love,  and  therefore  it 
passeth  knowledge.  His  whole  life  was  a  manifestation 
of  this  love;  but  more  especially  the  sorrows  of  Get.h- 
semane,  and  the  agonies  of  the  cross.  Numerous  assu- 
rances are  given  in  his  word:  As  the  Father  hath  loved 
me,  so  have  I  loved  yoii;  continue  ye  in  my  love*  He  that 
loveth  me  shall  he  loved  of  my  Father,  and  I  zvill  love  him, 
and  will  manifest  myself  to  him.  Christ  loved  the  church, 
and  gave  himself  for  it.  If,  at  the  close  of  our  conflict, 
we  are  more  than  conquerors,  it  will  be  through  him  that 
loved  us.  There  is  not,  within  the  widest  range  of  hu- 
man conception,  a  more  joyous  and  sublime  union  than 
that  of  love,  sincere  and  mutual  love;  and  such  is  the 
union  between  Christ  and  every  member  of  his  body. 

This  love  unites  the  different  members  to  each  other. 
Every  one  that  loveth  him  that  he  gat,  loveth  him  also  that 
is  begotten  of  him.  All  the  disciples  of  Christ  bear  more 
or  Jess  resemblance  to  him;  it  is  this  imajje  which  we 


UNITY    OF    CHRIST    AND    THE    CHURCH.  219 

love,  wherever  it  is  impressed.     The  exercise  of  this 
devout  affection  is  at  once  our  duty  and  our  privilege. 
See  that  ye  love  one  another  with  a  pure  heart  fei-cently, 
A  new  commandment  I  give  unto  you,  that  ye  love  one  an- 
other.    If  toe  love  one  another,  God  dwelleth  in  us,  and 
his  love  is  perfected  in  us.     This  love  gives  us  the  same 
interest  in  our  common  Lord,  in  the  prosperity  and 
extension  of  his  kingdom.     It  prompts  us  cheerfully  to 
hear  one  another''s    burdens,  and  so  to  fulfil  the  law   of 
Christ,     If  one  member  be  honored,  all  the  members  rejoice 
with  it;  if  one  suffer,  all  suffer  with   it.          This   love 
furnishes  a  key  to  unlock  the  secrets  of  other  hearts. 
If  it  warms  our  bosom,  we  know  the  views  of  goodness 
and  mercy,  what  recollection  of  past  kindness  filled 
the  mind  of  the  Psalmist,  when  he  commenced  one  of 
the  songs  of  Zion  with  this  declaration:  I  love  the  Lord, 
because    he   heard  my  voice  and  my  supplication.     We 
know  what  were  the  thoughts  and  feelings  of  Peter's 
heart,  when,  interrogated  the  third  time  by  his  Saviour, 
he  replied.  Lord,  thou  knowcst  all  thijigs;  thou  knowest 
that  I  love  thee.     This  is  that  charity  which  is  the  bond  of 
perfectncss,  which  never  faileth,  which  unites  us  to  our 
common  Head,  and  to  all  his  friends  on  earth  and  in 
heaven. 

Evangelical  repentance  is  another  affection  common 
to  all  the  members  of  Christ's  body.  In  this  we  cannot 
be  said  to  resemble  the  Saviour;  because  he  loho  did  no 
sin  cannot  repent  of  it;  yet,  when  for  our  sins  we  are 
made  sorry  after  a  godly  manner,  we  thereby  express  our 
approbation  of  his  will,  and  are  thus  united  to  him  by 
this  approbation,  and  this  conformity  to  his  will.  So 
far  as  we  are  truly  penitent,  we  think  alike  respecting 


220  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

the  nature  and  consequence  of  sin.  If  he  has  not  wept 
for  his  own,  he  has  wept  for  the  sins  of  others  with 
more  unfeigned  grief  than  we  do  for  our  own.  Repen- 
tance is  his  gift,  the  reception  of  which  gives  us  an 
important  relation  to  the  Giver.  These  feehngs  of 
contrition  mark  the  commencement  of  our  return  to 
God,  and  therofore  he  rejoices  over  us,  as  sheep  which 
were  lost,  now  found  and  restored  to  the  fold.  This 
joy  is  a  proof  of  the  deep  interest  he  feels  in  our  safety 
and  happiness;  and  of  course  that,  even  by  repentance, 
we  are  united  to  him.  While  on  earth,  he  felt  a  much 
more  cordial  and  intimate  connexion  with  the  penitent, 
weeping  for  their  sins,  than  with  the  self-righteous,  who 
conceived  that  they  needed  no  repentance :  ajid  he  is 
the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever. 

This  repentance,  in  its  origin,  its  nature,  and  its 
effects,  is  the  same  in  all  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord. 
The  moral  vileness  of  sin  is  the  cause  of  this  sorrow;  it 
is  sincere,  as  that  of  one  mourning  for  a  first  born,  an 
only  child;  it  is  practical,  reforming  the  heart  and  the 
life.  When  we  perceive  that  others  feel  as  we  do,  on 
the  same  subjects,  we  are  thus  far  united  with  them. 
Our  own  experience  is  the  best  explanation  of  their 
thoughts  and  their  feelings.  When  we  hear  the  lan- 
guage of  the  royal  penitent,  /  acknowledge  my  transgres- 
sions; my  sin  is  ever  before  me;  or  of  the  publican, 
smiting  on  his  breast,  God  he  merciful  to  me  a  sinner; 
their  words  and  their  feelings  are  our  own;  we  acknow- 
ledge them  as  brethren.  We  may  not  understand  the 
language  of  the  Hottentot,  the  Brahmin,  the  Sandwich 
Islander:  but  if  told  that  their  hearts  are  melting  with 
sorrow  for  sin,  then,  by  the  aid  of  another  language. 


UNITY    OP    CHRIST    AND    THE    CHURCH.  221 

common  to  all  true  penitents,  we  understand  their 
thoughts,  we  enter  into  their  feehngs,  and  thus  per- 
ceive that  we  are  one  with  them. 

Such  is  also  the  nature  of  hope,  another  concomitant 
of  faith  and  feature  of  the  Christian  character,  h  j  which 
all  true  believers  are  united  to  their  Head.  He  is  the 
foundation,  the  author,  and  the  object  of  this  hope.  In 
every  heart  where  the  hope  of  glory  is  cherished,  there 
is  Christ;  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  our  hope.  There 
is  one,  and  but  one  hope  of  our  calling.  Worldly  distinc- 
tions may  separate  us  widely  from  each  other;  but  this 
hope,  presenting  the  same  objects  to  view,  placing  us 
in  the  same  relation  to  Christ,  brings  us  together  on  the 
same  ground.  The  wealthy,  the  honorable,  the  learned, 
find  that  these  distinctions  avail  them  nothing  in  obtain- 
ing this  balm  of  life,  in  securing  this  anchor  of  the  ^oul. 
The  poorest  tenant  of  the  cottage  finds  that  his  indi- 
gence and  obscurity  present  no  barrier  to  his  obtaining 
this  soother  of  human  wo,  this  inheritance  of  the  saints. 
The  poor  hath  hope,  as  well  as  the  rich.  The  hope  of 
the  publican,  returning  to  his  house  justified,  embraced 
every  object,  every  degree  of  blessedness  and  glory, 
which  the  hope  of  David,  on  the  throne  of  Israel,  could 
embrace.  The  monarch  may  wear  his  purple  on  earth; 
but  in  heaven,  if  equal  in  holiness,  the  publican's  robe 
will  be  as  white  as  his. 

By  the  spirit  which  they  cherish  all  the  members  of 
the  church  are  united  to  their  Head,  and  to  each  other. 
"He  that  is  joined  to  the  Lord  is  one  spirit;  and  if  any 
man  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his." 
This  is  a  spirit  of  zeal,  of  prayer,  of  humility,  of  meek- 
ness, of  forbearance,  of  peace,  of  forgiveness,  of  bro- 

19 


222  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

thcrlj  kindness.  This  spirit  distinguished  our  divine 
Master  while  on  earth,  and  in  every  age,  in  a  greater  or 
less  degree,  characterizes  the  children  of  God.  These 
dispositions  naturally  and  strongly  associate  us  with 
others  who  cherish  them,  and  who  live  under  their 
influence.  Those  who  fail,  when  proper  occasions 
occur,  to  exercise  this  spirit,  prove  themselves  unworthy 
of  their  relation  to  Christ,  and  sever  at  least  one  of  the 
bands  by  which  the  members  of  his  body  are  united. 
Those  who  go  farther,  and  yield  to  the  spirit  of  the 
world,  of  pride,  of  irritation  and  resentment,  renounce 
their  connexion  w4th  the  Saviour,  disgrace  and  afflict 
his  church  with  their  "wrath,  strife,  and  variance," 
which  are  "  works  of  the  flesh." 

All  Christians  are  connected  with  the  Redeemer  and 
with  each  other  by  their  design.  Every  man  has  a 
paramount  object  in  view,  which  he  labors  to  promote 
and  attain.  The  members  of  the  church  have  their 
object;  the  glory  of  God.  From  the  moment  they 
join  this  spiritual  community,  a  new  design  exerts  a 
controlhng  influence  over  the  exercise  of  their  mind, 
and  over  the  pursuits  of  life.  Constrained  by  the  love 
of  Christ,  they  "live  no  longer  to  themselves,  but  to 
him  who  died  for  them."  It  is  the  supreme  desire  of 
their  hearts  that  while  they  live  they  may  "live  unto 
the  Lord;"  that  when  they  die,  they  may  "die  unto  the 
Lord ;"  and  that  "  whether  they  live  or  die,  they  may 
be  the  Lord's."  Heaven  itself  can  present  to  their  faith 
and  their  hope  nothing  more  desirable  than  as  "vessels 
of  mercy,"  prepared  for  the  purpose,  they  may  "show 
forth  the  riches  of  his  glory,"  through  an  endless  dura- 
tion.    This  grand  design  lived  and  operated  in  the 


UNITY    OF    CHRIST    AND    THE    CHURCH.  223 

heart  of  Jesus:  to  promote  the  glory  of  God,  he  labored 
and  suffered,  and  died.  It  is,  therefore,  an  interesting 
bond  of  union  between  him  and  his  members. 

Such  is  the  body  of  Christ,  and  such  are  the  bands 
by  which  it  is  united  to  the  Head;  by  which  all  the 
members,  of  every  age,  of  every  region,  are  compacted 
and  knit  together  into  one  spiritual  community.  The 
same  faitii,  affections,  spirit,  and  design  pervade,  ani- 
mate, and  combine  the  whole  family.  However  diver- 
sified they  may  be  in  wealth,  in  station,  in  worldly 
circumstances,  they  are  "all  one,"  and  but  "one  in 
Christ."  These  members  sympathize  with  each  other; 
because  they  belong  to  the  same  body,  are  parts  of  the 
same  whole.  When  Elijah  wept  in  solitude  over  the 
disasters  of  the  church,  we  sympathize  with  him; 
because  it  was  the  sore  afflictions  of  our  own  body 
which  caused  his  grief.  When  the  missionaries,  labor- 
ing in  heathen  lands,  rejoice  in  the  success  of  the 
gospel,  we  rejoice  with  them;  for  this  is  the  increase  of 
our  own  body.  We  rejoice  in  the  sure  anticipations 
of  that  millennial  day  when  the  kingdoms  of  this  world 
shall  become  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  when  the  church 
shall  have  no  other  limits  than  those  of  the  habitable 
globe.  Thousands  of  its  members  are  now  workings 
and  thousands  more  will  soon  begin  to  work^  effectually^ 
we  hope,  through  the  "quickening  spirit,"  to  "make 
this  increase  of  the  body  unto  the  edifying  of  itself 
in  love." 

Such  ought  to  be  the  church,  united  in  peace,  in  har- 
mony, in  zeal,  in  Christian  affection:  but  what  do  we 
sometimes  witness?  The  body  of  Christ  divided;  the 
hand  denying  that  the  foot  is  of  the  body;  the  eyd 
denying   that   the   ear  is   connected  with   the   head; 


224  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

brother  armed  against  brother  with  ^suspicion  as  cold 
as  death,  with  jealousy  and  envy  more  cruel  than  the 
grave!     Of  this  mournful  and    afflictive  state  of  the 
church,  we  will  only  say,  "an  enemy  hath  done  this!" 
This  is  not  the  work  of  the  Prince  of  Peace;  these  are 
not  the  "fruits  of  the  Spirit."     From  this  painful  scene  .^| 
Ictus,  with  joyous  hope,  look  forward  to  that  day  when 
the  "Son  of  Man  shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and  they    , 
shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend,    j 
and  them  who  do  iniquity;"  when  the  church  shall  be    i 
a  "glorious  church,  not  having  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any 
such  thing." 

3.  Christ,  as  Head,  is  the  supreme  Ruler  of  his.| 
church.  In  the  animal  economy,  the  head  is  considered 
as  the  seat  of  intelligence,  by  which  all  designs  are 
formed  for  the  government  and  protection  of  the  body; 
so  the  church  is  indebted  to  Christ  for  her  govoriuiicnt 
and  protection.  He  possesses  every  qualification  for 
this  high  and  important  office.  "AH  power  in  heaven 
and  in  earth"  is  given  unto  him.  His  wisdom,  his 
knowledge,  his  goodness,  his  justice,  his  truth,  are 
infinite.  "Him,"  therefore,  "God  hath  highly  ex- 
alted; given  him  to  be  Head  over  all  things  for  his 
body  the  church."  That  his  government  ma}'  be  com- 
plete and  universal,"  angels  and  authorities,  and  powers, 
are  made  subject  unto  him."  All  the  heavenly  hosts 
are  his  "ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  for 
them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation." 

This  government  is  particular,  as  well  as  general, 
extending  to  each  individual,  as  well  as  to  the  church 
collectively.  To  be  general,  it  must  be  particular. 
"The  body  is  not  one  member,  but  many;"  .so  the 
church  has  no  existence,  but  as  it  is  made  up  of  indi- 


TTNITY   OF   CHUIST    AND    TIIE    CHURCH.  225 

vidual  members.     Each  member  is,  therefore,  a  special 
.object  of  attention,  sharing  in  the  wisdom,  power,  and 
goodness  of  the    great    Governor.      The   offices    and 
stations  in  the  church  are  appointed  and  filled  according 
to  his  pleasure.     One  is  called  to  preach  the  word, 
another  to  hear;  one  to  rule,  another  to  obey.     Those 
events  and  circumstances  which  distinguish  the  life  of 
one  from  that  of  another  are  all  prescribed  by  infinite 
wisdom,  and  all  with  a  special  reference  to  the  spiritual 
interest  of  the  individual,  and  of  the  whole  body.     If 
one  is  elevated  to  stations  of  civil  authoritv.  it  is  that 
he    mav   "rule   in   the    fear   of  God.*'     If  wealth  is 
entrusted  to  another,  it  is  that  he  may  "deal  his  bread 
to  the   hungry,"  that  he  may  employ  this  wealth  in 
promoting  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.     If  any  are  af- 
flicted,  assailed   with    divers    temptations,   it   is    that 
"  patience  may  have  her  perfect  work,*'  that  they  may 
recommend  the  religion  of  Jesus  by  the  meek  submis- 
sion with  which  they  suffer,  that  their  faith  may  be 
tried  and  strengthened,  and  thus  be  found  unto  praise 
at  the  appearing  of  Christ.     Each  individual  shares  in 
tlie   watchfulness  and    kind    protection    of  the    great 
shepherd  of  the  flock.     He 'sees  all  the  stratagems,  all 
the  devices  of  Satan  and  of  wicked  men;  these  he 
restrains  and  controls  with  such  wisdom  and  power, 
that  not  even  the  weakest  of  the  flock  shall  2)erish. 
Job  had  his  trials,  severe  and  successive  trials;  but  the 
"Lord  was  very  pitiful,"  and  he  was  sustained  and  deli- 
vered out  of  them  all.     Peter  was  sifted ;  but  before  this 
sifting  commenced  the  Lord  had  prayed  that  his  faith 
might  not  fail.     Paul  felt  the  bufFetings  from  a  messen- 
ger of  Satan;  from  which  he  thrice  prayed  for  deli- 
verance.    His    praver   was  answered,  not    by  actual 

19* 


■^ 


226  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

deliverance,  but  hy  the  kind  promise  of  support;  "my 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee."  This  promise  has  done^ 
much  greater  good  than  immediate  rehef  from  these 
buffetings  would  have  done:  it  not  only  sustained  the 
apostle,  but  it  has  sustained  thousands  in  every  subse- 
quent age,  and  will,  to  the^end  of  time,  be  a  refuge  to 
the  tempted.  He  in  whom  believers  confide,  is  able 
and  determined  to  succor  those  who  are  tempted,  to 
protect,  defend,  and  save  them  with  an  everlasting 
salvation. 

Although,  in  every  age,  and  under  every  form  of 
administration,  the  church  is  one,  yet  for  the  sake  of 
public  and  social  worship,  this  one  universal  church 
consists  of  a  great  number  of  separate  individual 
churches,  embracing  a  greater  or  less  number  of  mem- 
bers. Towards  each  of  these,  as  we  learn  from  the 
seven  Asiatic  churches,  a  special  providence  is  em- 
ployed. One,  in  answer  to  prayer,  flourishes,  abun- 
dantly blessed  with  tlie  increase  of  God;  another,  as  a 
reproof  and  punishment  for  coldness  and  negligence,  is 
left  to  barrenness  and  declension.  One  is  assailed  with 
fieri/  trials;  another  is  shielded  from  these  trials.  This 
guidance  of  the  great  Head  embraces  especially  the 
pastors  of  the  churches.  The  Lord  may  be  provoked 
to  remove  that  candlestick,  whose  light  has  been  neg- 
lected. One  is  called  to  "preach  the  gospel  to  those 
who  are  at  Roiiie,  to  the  splendid,  the  populous,  and 
wealthy  city;  another  is  sent  to  the  mountains,  to  seek 
and  bring  to  the  fold  the  lost  sheep.  One  is  left  for 
half  a  century  to  guide,  instruct,  and  comfort  the  same 
people;  another  is  sent  far  aicay^  to  proclaim  salvation 
to  those  who  are  sitting  in  darkness.  He  who  reigns 
supreme  in  heaven  and  in  earth  says  to  one,  "go,  and 


UNITY   OF   CHRIST    AND   THE    CHURCH.  227 

he  goeth,  to  another  come,  and  he  cometh,  and  to  his 
servant  do  this,  and  he  doeth  it." 

There  are  designs  of  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness, 
requiring  successive  ages  for  their  accompUshment, 
having  a  special  reference  to  the  advancement  and 
protection  of  the  church  universal.  Abraham  was 
called  to  be  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land.  His  posterity 
were  sent  into  Eg3'pt  that  they  might  be  redeemed 
with  a  mighty  hand,  with  an  outstretched  arm,  that  the 
whole  earth  might  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  God. 
The  Chaldean  empire  was  overthrown,  that  Israel, 
released  from  captivity,  might  "return  and  come  to 
Zion  with  songs."  What  "overturning,  overturning, 
overturning"  of  the  nations  took  place,  kingdom  suc- 
ceeding kingdom,  the  diadem  of  empire  passing  from 
head  to  head,  to  prepare  the  world  for  the  advent  of 
Messiah,  whose  right  it  is  to  reign.  When  the  first 
preachers  of  the  gospel  received  their  commission,  the 
world,  by  successive  changes,  was  in  that  state  most 
favorable  to  success.  The  spirit  of  persecution  was 
soon  raised  against  them;  but  the  divine  wisdom  and 
power  are  clearly  manifested  in  making  this  opposition 
"fall  out  rather  to  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel,'*  than 
to  impede  its  progress.  Satan,  when  he  "put  it 'into 
the  heart  of  Judas  to  betray  his  Master;  the  rulers  of 
the  Jews,  when  they  obtained  from  Pilate  the  sentence 
of  death,  did  not  intend  to  advance,  but  to  crush  the 
cause  of  Christianity;  yet  such  was  the  result  of  their 
designs.  The  cross  is  the  pillar,  the  very  fountain  of 
life  to  tlie  church.  Could  they  have  prevented  the 
crucifixion,  they  would  have  extinguished  the  light  of 
the  world.  At  a  subsequent  day,  while  the  church 
was  yet  confined  to  Jerusalem,  these  rulers  excited  a 


2*28  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

great  persecution  against  it.  Stephen,  indeed,  is 
"carried  out  to  his  burial;"  the  other  members,  "  except 
the  apostles,  were  scattered  abroad."  But  although 
compelled  to  leave  Jerusalem,  they  carried  in  their 
hearts  the  love  of  the  Redeemer,  and  a  zeal  to  promote 
his  cause.  Therefore  they  "went  every  where  preach- 
ing the  word."  The  enemies  of  the  church  may  par- 
tially succeed;  but  their  success  shall  recoil  upon 
themselves  by  advancing  the  cause  which  they  intend 
to  impede  and  destroy.  "This  is  the  Lord's  doing;  it 
is  marvellous  in  our  eyes." 

Such  is  the  government  which  Jchovah-Jesus  is  exer- 
cising for  the  increase  and  protection  of  his  church. 
It  is  wise,  and  good,  and  powerful.  It  embraces  all 
events  from  the  greatest  to  the  least;  all  of  which  have 
a  connexion,  either  direct  or  remote,  with  the  interests 
of  the  church,  or  of  its  individual  members.  Those 
events  which  are  too  limited  in  their  results  to  change 
the  state  of  nations,  may  have  an  important  influence 
on  the  state  of  particular  churches;  and  those  too 
limited  to  have  this  influence  may  yet  have  an  impor- 
tant effect  in  diversifying  the  life  of  individuals.  In 
one  age,  from  very  small  beginnings  may  commence  a 
series  of  events  which,  through  revolving  centuries, 
may  ripen  into  measures  of  safety  and  extension  to  the 
church,  at  some  future  and  far  distant  period.  The 
present  state  of  the  church,  in  our  beloved  country, 
through  an  unbroken  series  of  events,  may  be  traced 
back  to  the  hour  when  Columbus  sailed  in  search  of  a 
new  world.  The  changes  now  in  progress,  or  now 
commencing,  among  the  natfons  of  the  earth,  may  have 
an  intimate  connexion  with  the  universal  difTusion  of 
the  gospel,  with  the  millennial  prosperity  of  the  Re- 


UNITY    OF   CHRIST    AND    THE    CHURCH. 


229 


deemer's  kingdom.  Many  of  the  intermediate  links 
in  this  chain  of  causes  and  effects  may  appear,  in  hu- 
man view,  to  have  little  or  no  connexion  with  the 
church;  they  may  he  wholly  of  a  political  nature;  they 
may  even  wear  an  aspect  unfriendly  to  the  cause  of 
Christ;  yet  under  the  mighty  control  of  him  who  is 
"wonderful  in  counsel,  and  excellent  in  working," 
they  shall  become  instrumental  in  promoting  the  em- 
pire of  truth.  Those  who  live,  during  these  inter- 
vening periods,  while  the  design  is  yet  advancing  to 
maturity,  cannot,  of  course,  comprehend  the  meaning 
of  passing  events,  or  even  conjecture  what  the  Lord 
intends  to  bring  out  of  them.  To  understand  the  wis- 
dom and  goodness  of  these  progressive  measures,  some 
knowledge  of  the  end  which  they  are  intended  to 
a.ccomplish,  is  indispensably  necessary.  Those  who 
are  connected  with  the  church  on  earth  when  "the 
decree  shall  bring  forth,"  when  the  design  shall  issue  in 
its  appropriate  results,  may,  with  pious  admiration,  per- 
ceive the  wisdom  of  this  long  series  of  events.  Or  there 
may  be  designs  so  vast  and  comprehensive  as  to  require 
the  close  or  nearly  the  close  of  the  mediatorial  kingdom 
for  theii*  full  completion ;  which  cannot,  of  course,  be 
understood  until  they  are  viewed  in  the  clearer  hght 
of  eternity.  All  this  is  strictly  true  respecting  each 
individual  member  of  the  church;  there  is  a  series  of 
events  peculiar  and  adapted  to  each  one.  His  present 
safety  and  progress  in  the  divine  life,  may,  through  the 
Spirit,  be  the  result  of  measures  which  commenced 
years  ago,  even  before  he  was  born.  Events  now  pass- 
ing, or  now  commencing,  may  have  a  connexion  with 
his  peace  and  comfort  in  future  years.  Changes  which 
very  deeply  affect  him  now  may  be  to  preserve  him 


230  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

from  temptations,  from  the  designs  of  his  enemies,  of 
which  he  has  not  the  least  suspicion,  and  which  never 
will  be  known  to  him  in  this  life.  But  they  are  clearly 
seen  and  frustrated  by  his  Saviour,  through  these  very 
changes.  He  cannot  therefore  understand  the  design 
of  these  changes,  unless  he  know  those  trials  from 
which  they  shield  him. 

Indeed,  in  a  government,  the  whole  plan  of  which 
is  drawn  by  infinite  wisdom,  and  existed  in  the  divine 
mind  from  all  eternity,  commencing  at  the  creation, 
embracing  all  nations,  marking  out  the  path,  with  all 
its  events,  of  each  individual  member  of  the  church, 
extending  through  all  ages,  even  to  the  last  moment  of 
time;  in  such  a  government  there  might  be  many  dis- 
pensations, too  vast  and  complicated,  too  dark  and  mys- 
terious, to  be  comprehended,  in  this  life,  by  our  limited 


minds.  This  ought  not,  however,  to  disturb  our  peace, 
or  to  shake  our  confidence  in  the  wisdom  and  rectitude 
of  Him  who  guides  and  defends  his  church.  With  ani- 
mating hope,  let  us  wait  till  the  kingdom  shall  be  deli- 
vered up  to  the  Father;  then,  if  the  knowledge  of  these 
dispensations  will  afford  us  greater  degrees  of  love  and 
joy,  if  it  will  raise  our  songs  even  one  note  higher,  it 
will,  if  not  instantaneously,  yet  gradually,  be  unfolded  to 
our  view.  Then,  with  profound  and  heavenly  admira- 
tion, we  will  say;  He  hath  done  aU  things  well!  He  has 
brought  the  church,  with  all  her  members,  in  safety 
through  every  trial,  and  presented  her,  a  glorious 
church,  unto  God,  that  God  may  he  all  in  all, 

4.  Christ,  as  Head,  is  the  Honor  of  the  church,  of  all 
the  members  of  his  body.  Such  is  evidently  the  case 
with  the  human  body;  the  head  is  its  most  distinguish- 
ed and  honorable  part.      The  crown,  the   badge   of 


UNITY  OF  CHRIST  AND  THE  CHURCH.  231 

royalty,  is  therefore  worn  on  the  head.     Indignities 
offered  to  this  part,  are  offered  to  the   whole  body; 
If  the  head  is  honored,  so  all  the  members  are  honored 
with  it.     So  Christ  is  the  honor  and  glory  of  the  church. 

The  truth  of  this  proposition  will  not  appear  to  those 
who  judge  according  to  the  maxims  and  customs  of 
this  world.  In  their  estimation,  Jesus  Christ  is  lightly 
esteemed;  he  is  despised  as  reproachful.  A  connexion 
with  him,  and  a  resemblance  to  him,  confer  no  honor 
in  their  opinion.  Wealth  and  power,  in  their  view, 
are  the  chief  sources  of  honor;  to  which  some  add  splen- 
did talents,  and  rich  attainments  in  human  science. 
The  honor  of  Jesus  did  not  consist  in  these  worldly  dis- 
tinctions. His  life  was  spent  without  the  enjoyments 
procured  by  wealth;  he  had  not  zchere  to  lay  his  head. 
He  possessed  no  power  in  political  arrangements;  nor 
did  he  seek  an  alliance  with  those  who  vrere  invested 
with  civil  authority.  His  honor  consisted  in  the  su- 
preme excellency  of  his  moral  character;  in  meekness, 
humility,  gentleness,  kindness,  forbearance,  forgiveness, 
and  mercy;  in  love  to  God,  and  zeal  to  promote  his 
glory.  These  moral  qualities,  these  unobtrusive  excel- 
lencies, carried  out  in  all  his  intercourse  with  men,  into 
every  action  of  his  life,  were  the  transcendant  honors 
and  dignity  of  the  Son  of  God. 

This  is  the  honor  which  Christ  confers  on  every  mem- 
ber of  his  body;  not  the  honor  which  eometh  from  men^ 
but  the  honor  which  is  from  God.  He  may  not  bestow 
on  them  the  wealth  or  the  power  of  this  world;  may 
not  distinguish  them  with  splendid  talents  and  human 
science :  or  if  these  should  be  granted,  they  are  not  the 
marks  of  his  peculiar  favour,  by  which  all  men  shall 
know  that  they  are  his  disciples.     But  he  calls  them,  by 


232  ORIGINAIi    SERMONS. 

his  grace,  to  repentance,  unites  them  to  himself  by 
faith,  breathes  into  them  his  own  spirit,  imprints  on 
their  hearts  his  own  image.  This  repentance,  this 
faith,  this  spirit,  this  image,  is  their  honor,  the  seal  of 
God,  the  mark  bj  which  thej  shall  be  distinguished 
when  God  shall  make  up  his  jewels.  By  a  blind  and 
misjudging  world  they  may  be  despised;  but  when  the 
angels  shall  be  sent  to  the  north  and  to  the  south,  to 
the  east  and  to  the  west,  these,  and  these  only  shall  be 
selected  as  the  favourites  of  heaven.  When  the  world, 
with  all  its  distinctions  shall  pa55  away  with  a  great  noise, 
then  shall  they  shine  forth  qs  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of 
their  Father.  Their  own  minds,  their  utmost  stretch  of 
thought  may  labor  in  vain  to  comprehend  their  future 
exaltation;  that  high  and  heavenly  eminence  to  which 
they  shall  be  raised.  They  know  not  lohat  they  shall  be; 
hut  they  know  that  when  Christ  shall  appear,  they  shall  be 
like  him;  for  they  shall  see  him  as  he  is.  Even  their  bo- 
dies shall  partake  in  this  honor.  At  the  voice  of  the 
arch-angel,  from  the  grave  they  shall  come  forth  spiritual, 
incorruptible,  immortal  bodies,  fashioned  like  unto  his 
glorious  body.  Then,  when. the  whole  universe  shall  be 
assembled,  they  shall  occupy  the  station  of  honor;  they 
shall  be  placed  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Judge.  God 
the  Father  will  honor  them;  they  shall  enter  into  the  joy 
of  their  Lord;  they  shall  receive  a  crown  of  life;  they  shall 
be  with  the  Saviour,  beholding  his  glory,  and  as  they 
behold,  shall  be  more  and  more  transformed  into  the 
same  image,  from  glory  to  glory;  they  shall  sit  zcilh  him 
on  his  throne;  they  shall  be  ki72gs  and  priests  unto  God,  and 
reign  with  him  for  ever  and,  ever. 

A  few  reflections,  from  the  subject,  will  now  claim 
our  attention. 


rNITY  OF  CHRIST  AND  THE  CHURCH.  233 

1.  How  powerfully  calculated  is  this  view  of  the  sub- 
ject to  quench  forever  all  inordinate  desire  for  the  ho- 
nors and  distinctions  of  this  world.     The  moment  is  at 
hand  when  they  shall  vanish  into  perfect  insignificance 
before  the  sublime  glories  of  eternity.     The  day  will 
come  when  earthly  crowns  and  all  the  wealth  of  this 
world,  wrapped  in  the  flames  of  the  conflagration,  shall 
pass  away;  and  those  who  set  their  hearts  on  them  shall 
be  destitute,  disgraced,  ruined;    and  shall  call,  and  yet 
call  in  vain,  to  the  mountains  and  the  rocks,  "  Fall  on 
us  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  him  that  sittctli  on  the 
tlirone,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  lamb."     Then  shall 
come  forth  millions  from  the  vale  of  obscurity,  from 
indigence,  from  reproach,  to  riches  in  the  heavens  that 
shall  never  fade,  to  joys  that  are  eternal.     The  dis- 
tinctions  of  this   world   have   their   place    and    their 
value:  but  surely  it  is  death,  it  is  folly,  to  take  them  as 
tlie  portion  of  the  soul.     Therefore,  "  be  not  envious 
at   the  foolish,  when    you  see  the  prosperity   of  the 
wicked;"  think  of  the  slippery  places  on  which  they 
stand;  think  of  their  end;  see  them  "brought  into  deso- 
lation as  in  a  moment;  utterly  consumed  with  terrors. 
Be  patient,  therefore,  brethren,  establish  your  hearts; 
for  the  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh.     And  when 
Christ,  who  is  your  life,  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also 
appear  with  him  in  glory."    If  you  should  be  reproached 
for  the  name  of  Christ,  because  you  belong  to  his  body, 
and  breathe  his  spirit,  be  neither  dismayed  nor  afraid; 
rejoice  in  it  as  a  proof  that  the  "spirit  of  glory  resteth 
upon  you."     Think  of  tlie  purposes  you  are  now  pre- 
paring to  answer;   disgrace  not  your  high  caUing,  by 
setting  your  affections  on  fliings  on  the  earth."     Even 

now    show  forth   the  praises  of  him  who  calls   you 

•20 


234 


ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 


to  these  celestial  honors  hy  "seeking  those  things 
which  are  above,''  where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right 
hand  of  God. 

2.  We  infer  from  this  subject  the  perfect  safety  of 
the  church;  which  necessarily  implies  the  safety  of  all 
her  members."^  For  we  repeat,  the  church  has  no  exis- 
tence, but  as  it  is  composed  of  individual  members. 
That  human  body  is  not  perfect  which  has  lost  part  of 
its  members,  though  they  were  the  very  smallest.  The 
church  has  had  and  still  has  her  enemies.  Satan  has 
laid  his  snares,  has  employed  his  devices,  has  shot  forth 
his  fiery  darts;  the  whole  power  of  the  Roman  empire 
has  been  exerted  in  bloody  persecution;  infidels  have 
marshalled  their  hosts,  and  tried  the  force  of  ridicule, 
of  sophistry,  of  philosophj^,  falsely  so  called;  false 
friends,  hypocritical  professors  have  betrayed  her  inte- 
rests, and  threatened  her  with  ruin:  but  stiJl  she  lives, 
and  increases,  and  triumphs.  She  has  had  her  seasons 
of  affliction,  of  despondency,  and  gloom;  but  has  never 
been  forgotten  nor  forsaken  by  her  Saviour.  At  one 
time  when  idolatry  had  nearly  extinguished  her  light 
in  Judea,  Josiah  was  raised  up,  and  restored  the  wor- 
ship of  the  true  God.  At  another,  Cyrus,  although 
he  "knew  not  the  Lord,"  was  made  instrumental  in 
building  up  the  walls  of  Zion,  and  filling  her  courts 
with  the  voice  of  thanksgiving  and  praise.  At  a  still 
later  period,  Luther  and  Calvin,  with  their  coadjutors, 
checked  and  rolled  back  that  torrent  which  threatened 
to  sweep  her  into  the  vortex  of  ruin.  These  enemies, 
whether  they  be  many  or  few  fallen  spirits  or  men, 
avowed  infidels  or  professed  friends,  are  all  subject  to 
his  control  who  "loves  the  church."  He  says  to  them, 
*  The  invisible  chuich,  composed  of  real  believers. — Ed. 


UNITY    OF    CHRIST    AND   THE   CHURCH.  235 

as  to  the  waves  of  the  great  deep,  "Hitherto  shaltthou 
come,  but  no  farther:  and  here  shall  thy  proud  waves 
be  stayed.  There  is  not  a  movement,  not  a  revolution 
among  the  nations,  that  is  not,  either  immediately  or 
remotely,  rendered  subservient  to  the  interests  of  his 
cause.  Even  the  "wrath  of  man,"  bursting  forth  in 
war  and  bloodshed,  "shall  praise  him,"  by  opening  a 
wider  door  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  The  Lord 
from  on  high  does  not  merely  approve  the  struggles 
which  the  church  is  making  for  her  own  safety  and  ex- 
tension; his  own  omnipotent  arm  is  actively  and  con- 
stantly employed,  aiding  and  directing  these  struggles. 
"The  kings  of  the  earth  may  set  themselves  in  opposi- 
tion; the  rulers  may  take  counsel  together;  the  heathen 
may  rage;"  the  prince  of  darkness  may  lead  them  on 
to  the  conflict:  but  he  that  "sitteth  in  the  heaven  shall 
laugh:  the  Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision."  The 
spirit  of  life  breathed  into  the  church  shall  never  be 
extinguished 5  the  bands  by  which  she  is  united  to 
Christ  shall  never  be  severed.  Her  members  may  be 
removed  by  death;  but  others  shall  fill  their  places. 
They  may  have  their  buflfetings,  their  siftings;  but  not 
one  of  them  shall  be  lost.  They  may  be  cast  down; 
but  noL  one  of  them  shall  be  destroyed,  With  all  her 
members,  the  church,  therefore,  is  safe.  She  will  soon 
be  the  "church  triumphant;"  will  soon  come  "to  the 
heavenly  Mount  Zion,  with  songs,  and  everlasting  joy 
upon  her  head." 

3.  How  zealous  and  how  diligent  should  every  mem- 
ber of  the  church  be  in  working  out  his  own  salva- 
tion, and  in  promoting  the  great  interest  of  the  body 
of  Christ.  In  the  human  body  every  part  has  its 
peculiar  function,  and  its  appropriate  end  to  accom- 


236  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

plish.  There  is  not  a  useless  limb,  muscle,  gland,  or 
fibre  in  the  whole  system.  If  one  part  becomes  inac- 
tive or  irregular  in  its  functions,  other  parts  connected 
with  it,  and  dependent  on  it,  necessarilj^  become  dis- 
ordered, and  fail  in  their  object.  From  the  derange- 
ment and  failure  of  one  single  organ,  disease  may 
pervade  the  whole  body;  and  unless  that  organ  can  be 
restored  to  a  healthy  state,  death  must  be  the  conse- 
quence. But  when  every  part  is  regular  in  its  action, 
then  the  whole  system  enjoys  perfect  health,  and  is 
adapted  to  vigorous  and  useful  efforts.  Such  is  the 
body  of  Christ.  The  members  are  so  connected  and 
dependent  on  each  other,  that  the  criminal  negligence 
and  irregularities  of  one  will  affect  others  within  the 
sphere  of  his  influence ;  and  thus  the  injury  may  extend 
from  one  to  another,  till  whole  sections  of  the  church 
are  affected  by  it.  One  member  of  a  church,  distin- 
guished by  his  wealth,  his  station,  or  his  talents,  and 
especially  the  pastor,  always  distinguished  by  the  high 
and  sacred  office  which  he  fills,  may,  by  his  worldly 
spirit,  unguarded,  unchristian  example,  paralyze  the 
whole  church,  this  church  may  affect  others;  and  these 
again  others,  still  more  remote  from  the  source  of  this 
wide-spreading  evil;  until  the  whole,  or  nearlj^  the 
whole  church  universal,  becomes  disordered  and  life- 
less.* All  this  may  not  take  place  in  a  day  or  a  year; 
the  contaminating  plague  may  extend  and  increase  for 
ages,  before  it  reaches  these  mournful  results.  Yet 
such  is  the  tendency  of  every  unchristian  spirit  and 
example.  The  influence  of  one  single  member,  in  its 
baleful  effects,  may  extend  widely  around  him,  and 
descend  to  unborn  generations.     Who  can   tell  with 

*■  The  visible  church,  mixed  with  nominal  professors. -^Ed» 


UNITY  OF  CHRIST  AND   THE  CHURCH.  237 

whom,  or  at  what  time,  the  lukewarmness  in  the  Laodi- 
cean church  commenced?  Who  can  tell  with  whom 
or  at  what  time  that  state  of  things  commenced,  against 
which  Luther  raised  his  voice?  Let  every  servant 
"watch  and  pray,"  lest  he  should  have  the  dreadful 
distinction  of  giving  rise  to  a  similar  train  of  con- 
sequences. 

On  the  other  hand,  when  every  member  is  faithful 
and  zealous  in  the  discharge  of  all  religious  duties,  then 
will  the  whole  body   enjoy  that  spiritual  health  and 
\igor  which  tend  greatly  to  the  increase  of  itself.    One 
single   member,   by  keeping  with  diligence  his  own 
heart,  by  regulating  agreeably  to  the  word  of  God  his 
own  life,   by   embracing   every  opportunity  of  doing 
good,  by  breathing  around  him  the  spirit  of  faith,  of 
love,  and  of  zeal,  may  provoke  others  to  love  and  to 
good  works;  and  these  again  others;  until  large  sec- 
tions of  the  church  shall  feel  a  more  animating  pulse 
of  divine  life.     One  faithful,  devoted   servant  of  the 
Lord  may  exert  a  quickening  influence  on  thousands, 
on  millions,  whom  he  will  never  meet,  till  he  meets 
them  at  the  right  hand  of  the  judge.     Nor  is  there  a 
single  member  excluded  from  the  high   privilege,  or 
exempted  from  the  solemn  duty  of  enlarging  the  body, 
and  promoting  the  kingdom  of  Christ.     There  are  few, 
indeed,  who  cannot  contribute  of  the  substance  which 
God  has  given,  if  it  were  but  two  mites^  to  the  advance- 
ment of  this  cause;  all  can  furnish  the  influence  of  a 
Christian  spirit  and  a  consistent  example;  all  can  offer 
the  humble   and  importunate   prayer  of  faith.     The 
church  must  live ;  the  church  must  increase ;  the  church 
must  embrace    the  whole    world.     But  this   increase 
depends,  through  the  blessing  of  God,  on  the  zealous 

20* 


538  ORIGINAL   SEUMONS. 

cfTorts  of  her  own  members.  It  is  but  the  probabi- 
lity of  success,  in  secular  pursuits,  which  prompts  the 
world  to  active  exertions  from  year  to  year,  and  from 
age  to  age.  How  much  more  powerful  is  the  motive 
derived  from  absolute  certainty  of  success?  Who, 
then,  can  be  idle  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  when  so 
much  remains  to  be  done;  w^hen  nearly  the  whole 
world  is  one  extensiv3  Macedonia,  from  which  is  break- 
ing forth  the  loud  and  affecting  cry^  "  Come  over  and 
help  us!"  Yes,  come  over,  and  come  quickly,  and 
help  us!  What  member  of  the  church,  bought  with  a 
Saviour's  blood,  viewing  by  faith  the  joys  and  glories  of 
eternity,  can  forget,  and  if  he  remembers,  can  avoid 
feeling  the  life-giving  impulse  of  the  sentence,  "Well 
done,  good  and  faithful  servant;  thou  hast  been  faith- 
ful over  a  few  things;  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over 
many  things:  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 
May  every  member  of  the  church,  through  the  help  of 
God,  resolve  to  be  that  servant! 

4.  Finally,  we  infer  the  great  importance  of  being 
united  to  the  church;  not  only  in  name,  but  in  reality; 
not  merely  by  profession,  but  by  faith,  by  love,  and  by 
the  spirit  of  Christ.  The  Redeemer  wants  not  disci- 
ples to  say,  Lord,  Lord,  to  honor  him  with  their  lips, 
while  they  quench  his  Spirit,  and  disobey  his  voice. 
Those,  and  those  only  will  be  acknowledged  who  give 
him  theirhearts,  and  obey  his  will.  All  such  he  has 
pledged  himself  to  protect  and  save.  But  every  per- 
fection of  his  character,  every  principle  of  his  govern- 
ment, every  threatening  of  his  word,  proclaims  destruc- 
tion, deep  and  eternal  destruction  to  all  who  are  not 
united  to  him.  If  he  is  omnipotent  to  save,  so  is  he 
also  to  destroy.     If  none  are   able  to  pluck  the  sheep 


UNITY   OF   CHRIST    AND   THE    CHURCH.  239 

out  of  his  hand,  neither  are  any  able  to  shield  the 
finally  impenitent  fi'om  the  stroke  of  his  justice.  It  is 
not  more  certain  that  glory^  honor,  and  peace  await  the 
one,  than  that  indignation  and  wrath,  tribulation,  and 
aiiguish  await  the  other.  If  those  who  believe  in  his 
name  and  obey  his  voice  shall  "inherit  the  king- 
dom prepared  for  them  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world;*'  so  surely  shall  those  who  close  their  life  in 
unbelief  and  impenitence  "depart  accursed  into  ever- 
lasting fire  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.*'  It  is 
in  vain  to  ask,  and  more  especially  by  way  of  excuse 
for  the  most  criminal  indifference,  "May  we  not  be 
saved  without  becoming  members  of  the  church?"  It 
is  impossible  to  be  saved  without  being  united  to  Christ; 
and  those  who  are  united  to  him  are  rnembers  of  his 
body,  which  is  the  church:  nor  can  this  union  exist  but 
by  faith.  The  judge  has,  therefore,  kindly  given  us, 
for  our  consideration  and  profit,  his  decision  on  the 
subject;  He  that  believeth  not  shall  be  condemned.  How 
dangerous,  then,  is  the  state  of  thousands  who  make 
light  of  these  things,  who  "neglect  this  great  salva- 
tion," who  "  turn  away  from  him  who  speaketh  from 
heaven!''  They  may  divert  their  attention  with  the 
pursuits  and  amusements  of  life;  they  may  chase  the 
wealth,  the  honor,  the  pleasure  of  this  world;  but  the 
wrath  of  God  abidcth  on  them*  Let  all  such  hear  the 
glad  tidings  that  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sin- 
ners; of  whom,  if  they  are  even  the  chief,  yet  they 
need  not  depair;  if  they  will  believe  in  his  name,  they 
shcdl  be  saved.  And  let  every  child  of  God,  lifting  up 
clean  hands  and  a  pure  heart,  pour  forth  the  earnest 
and   persevering  prayer  to   the   great   Head   of  the 


240  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

church,  that  he  would  gird  on  his  sword,  and  ride 
forth  conquering  and  to  conquer^  transforming  his  ene- 
mies into  friends,  thousand  after  thousand,  milHon  after 
milHon,  until  the  kingdoms  of  this^  world  shall  become  the, 
kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ* 


SERMON  XIV. 

BY   THE   REV.   ALEXANDER    m'FARLANE,   A.    M, 

REDEMPTION. 

In  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood.        Eph.  i.  7. 

The  doctrine  of  redemption  through  the  sacrifice  and 
intercession  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  of  fundamental 
importance  in  the  Christian  religion;  and  consequently 
it  has  the  highest  claims  upon  our  attention  and  regard. 
The  conduct  of  all  who,  in  any  degree,  make  it  a  sub- 
ject of  inquiry,  shows  their  sense  of  its  importance:  no 
part  of  revealed  truth  is  cherished  and  defended  with 
more  anxious  solicitude  by  its  friends;  none  is  pursued 
with  more  inveterate  hostility  by  i!s  enemies. 

In  those  countries  where  Christianity  has  made  but 
little  advancement,  men  are  not  at  the  pains,  to  any 
considerable  extent,  of  corrupting  its  doctrines,  or  per- 
verting its  precepts:  in  most  instances,  the  whole  is 
rejected  without  concern  and  without  examination.    It 


REDEMPTION.  241 

is  found,  however,  to  be  the  case,  that  as  the  divine 
system  of  religion  makes  progress  in  the  world,  and 
obtains  weight  and  character  among  men,  many  evince 
their  enmity,  not  by  professed  infidelity,  but  by  a  pre- 
sumptuous perversion  of  its  essential  principles.  The 
doctrine  of  redemption  has  frqeuently  been  impugned, 
and  no  less  frequently  corrupted,  by  the  enemies 
of  the  Christian  faith. 

As  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  is  the  only  foun- 
dation of  your  hope  for  eternity,  it  cannot  be  without 
interest  to  direct  your  attention  to  this  doctrine,  by 
considering  its  importance;  its  reality  and  nature;  its 
sublimity;  and  its  practical  use. 

I.  The  characteristic  glory  of  evealed  religion  is 
the  doctrine  of  redemption  and  salvation  through  the 
mediation  of  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God.  In  the  temple  of 
divine  truth  there  is  no  part  more  excellent,  important, 
and  lovely,  than  this;  and  there  is  none  more  conducive 
to  the  beauty,  grandeur,  and  stability  of  the  whole. 
The  entire  superstructure  of  Christianity  depends  upon 
it,  and  cannot  stand  without  it. 

A  great  part  of  the  ordinances  and  instructions  given 
to  the  church  under  former  dispensations,  was  designed 
to  teach  the  necessity,  the  nature,  and  the  benign  ef- 
fects of  the  revelation  of  the  "  Lamb  of  God,  slain  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world.*'  To  the  comings  and 
triumphs  of  the  Messiah,  patriarchs  and  prophets  look- 
ed forward  with  high  and  joyful  anticipations.  Holy 
men  of  God  lived  and  died  in  the  hope  of  salvation 
through  him.  The  whole  tendency  of  the  institutions 
under  which  they  lived,  was  to  lead  them  to  trust  in 
him  as  the  God  of  their  salvation;  and  to  rejoice  in  the 
redemption  he  was  about  to  accomplish  for  his  people. 


242 


ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 


The  ordinaaces  of  the  church,  previously  to  the  coming 
of  our  Lord,  were  designed  and  adapted  to  prepare 
the  minds  of  men  for  understanding  the  doctrine  of  re- 
demption, through  the  sacrifice  and  intercession  of  the 
Son  of  God,  to  be  revealed  in  due  time.  Among  these 
ordinances,  that  of  animal  sacrifice  occurred  most  fre- 
quently, and  was  observed  with  most  impressive  solem- 
nity. This  institution  was  well  adapted  to  teach  the 
grand  and  peculiar  doctrine  of  true  religion,  to  wit, 
that  pardon  and  eternal  life  can  be  obtained  only 
through  the  expiatory  sufferings  and  death  of"  Christ 
Jesus,  whom  God  has  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation 
through  faith  in  his  blood." 

What  is  the  view  which  we  obtain  of  this  subject 
from  the  New  Testament?  At  every  step  the  doctrine 
of  redemption,  through  the  ransom  of  Christ,  is  pre- 
sented to  our  contemplation.  In  point  of  interest,  this 
subject  occupies  the  first  place.  The  incidents  of  our 
Lord's  life  appear  to  have  been  preparatory  and  subser- 
vient to  the  solemn  events,  and  glorious  achievements 
of  his  death.  He  came  into  the  world  for  the  express 
purpose,  that  he  might  consecrate  himself  to  God  an 
atoning  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  his  people;  and  by  one 
offering,  "  perfect  forever  them  that  are  sanctified."  It 
was  to  the  decease  which  he  was  about  to  accomplish 
at  Jerusalem,  to  the  completion  of  the  great  work 
which  the  Father  gave  him  to  do,  to  the  termination  of 
his  abasement  by  the  consummation  of  our  deliverance, 
that  his  thoughts  appear  to  have  been  ever  directed. 
And  when  we  approach  the  scenes  of  our  Lord's  death 
what  interest,  A\hat  solemnity,  what  grandeur  attach 
themselves  to  that  mysterious  event.  Here  we  behold 
the  fulfilment  of  types  and  prophecies,  the  finishing  of 


REDEMPTION. 


243 


transgression,  the  destruction  of  Satan,  the  making  of 
reconciliation,  and  the  purchase  of  eternal  redemption. 
Here  we  behold  the  most  interesting  exhibition  of  the 
love  of  Jehovah,  and  the  most  astonishing  display  of 
the  condescending  mercy  of  God  our  Saviour:  here 
in  the  vicarious  death  of  Immanuel,  we  find  the  only 
sure  foundation  on  which  to  rest  our  hopes  for  ever- 
lasting life.  Is  it  then  surprising  that  the  Christian 
should  love  the  doctrine  of  redemption  through  the 
righteousness  and  dc^ath  of  Immanuel?  that  he  should 
eagerly  resist  every  attempt  to  cast  it  away,  or  to  de- 
tract from  its  purity  and  integrity?  Can  any  friend  of 
the  Church  of  God  be  unconcerned,  when  the  inroads 
of  the  enemy  are  directed  to  the  very  citadel  of  our 
confidence  and  hope? 

Every  instruction  could  have  heen  given  by  prophets, 
and  every  subordinate  ministration  could  have  been 
performed  by  angels  and  men;  but  for  the  expiation  of 
sin,  for  the  accomplishment  of  our  redemption,  it  was 
indispensable  that  the  Lord  of  glory  should  obey,  and 
suffer,  and  die ! 

The  superlative  importance  of  the  doctrine  of  re- 
demption is  further  manifested  by  the  institutions  of  the 
New  Testament  church ;  and  by  the  language  and  con- 
duct of  those  who  were  divinely  appointed  to  order  all 
her  concerns.  The  ministers  of  the  Gospel  were  or- 
dained to  preach  Christ,  and  him  crucified,  "the  power 
of  God,  and  the  wisdom  of  God  unto  salvation.''  In  the 
administration  of  baptism,  purification  from  sin  by  the 
blood  of  Christ,  and  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  our  participation  of  the  benefits  purchased  by  our 
Lord's  death,  are  clearly  brought  to  view.  In  the 
Lord's  supper,  the  most  impressive  exhibition  is  made 


244  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

of  this  distinguishing  truth  of  Christianity,  "  redemp- 
tion through  his  blood."  In  this  ordinance,  the  de- 
sign, the  nature,  and  the  Divine  efficacy  of  the  death 
of  Christ  are  strikingly  illustrated.  Here  we  perceive 
the  transcendent  excellence  of  the  love  of  Christ;  the 
glorious  end  to  be  accomplished  by  his  death;  the  Di- 
vine merit  of  his  oblation;  emd  the  complete  security  of 
all  who  were  given  to  him  by  the  Father,  and  for  whose 
reconciliation  with  God  and  eternal  salvation,  he  gave 
his  body  to  be  broken  and  his  blood  to  be  sUed. 

The  language  of  apostles  and  evangelists  shows  their 
judgment  of  the  importance  of  the  doctrine  of  redemp- 
tion. These  holy  and  inspired  men  regard  salvation 
through  the  obedience  and  death  of  Christ  as  the  chief 
glory,  and  the  grand  peculiarity  of  Christianity.  "  God 
forbid  that  I  should  glory,  says  the  apostle  Paul,  save 
in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  •••  Yea  doubt- 
less, and  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord."  "  For  other 
foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is 
Jesus  Christ."  With  the  judgment  of  prophets  and 
apostles,  the  belief  of  the  church  of  God  in  every  age 
has  harmonized.  All  the  redeemed  in  Heaven,  have 
washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white,  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb.  By  faith  in  this  doctrine,  saints  have 
been  enabled  to  surmount  every  difficulty,  to  overcome 
every  enemy,  and  to  endure  every  trial.  Confiding  in 
the  righteousness  and  grace  of  their  Redeemer,  poverty 
and  shame,  imprisonment  and  exile,  torture  and  death, 
have  been  borne  with  patience,  and  even  with  triumph. 

Beloved  Christian  Brethren,  are  you  prepared  to 
discard  from  your  creed  the  doctrine  of  redemption, 
through  the  vicarious  obedience  and  sufferings  of  Jesus 


I 


REDE3IPTION.  245 

Christ?  Can  you  consent  to  receive  every  innovation, 
vrhich  the  wild  fancies  and  corrupt  reasonings  of  men 
may  suggest,  in  relation  to  this  subject?  Do  you  not 
know  that  a  doctrine  may  be  retained  in  name,  in 
some  of  its  incidental  and  unimportant  circumstances, 
whilst  all  that  is  absolutely  essential,  its  very  characte- 
ristic nature,  is  rejected?  We  are  constrained  to  say 
that  the  novel  statements  and  metaphysical  subtleties, 
employed  by  some  in  explanation  of  the  doctrine  of 
Atonement,  amount  to  a  radical  departure  from  the 
faith  of  the  church,  and  from  the  instructions  of  Scrip- 
ture, on  this  subject.  I  beseech  you,  therefore,  dear 
brethren,  for  your  own  sakes,  for  the  sake  of  your  chil- 
dren, for  the  honor  of  Christ,  and  the  advancement  of 
his  truth  and  cause  in  the  world,  beware  of  countenanc- 
ing speculations  which  subvert  the  glorious  doctrine  of 
redemption,  and  which  substitute  the  visionary  theories 
of  men  in  its  place. 

II.  In  attempting  to  show  the  reality  of  redemption, 
by  the  obedience  and  sufferings  of  Jesus  Christ,  the 
only  difficulty  consists  in  selecting  and  arranging  within 
moderate  limits,  a  favorable  specimen  of  the  evidence 
which  so  amply  abounds  in  the  Sacred  Volume.  No- 
thing more  than  a  short  specimen  can  be  here  given. 
The  grand  theme  of  inspiration  is  the  redemption  of 
Christ.  The  sacred  writers  are  the  most  frequent  and 
strenuous  assertors  of  this  precious  and  fundamental 
truth — justification  "  through  faith  in  his  blood." 

1st.  The  redemption  to  be  accomplished  by  the 
condescending  and  gracious  interposition  of  the  Son  of 
God,  was,  at  different  times,  and  in  different  ways, 
made  known  to  the  Ancient  Church.  The  first  pro- 
mise made  to  fallen  man  excited  hopes  of  the  coming 


246 


ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 


and  glorious  triumph  of  our  Redeemer.  Abraham  re- 
joiced to  see  his  day,  and  believed  in  him  as  the  pro- 
mised "  Seed  in  whom  all  the  families  of  the  earth 
should  be  blessed."  Jacob  predicted  his  coming  under 
the  character  of  "  Shiloh,  unto  whom  the  gathering  of 
the  people  should  be."  Job,  after  all  his  afflictions 
and  trials,  could  say  in  faith  and  triumph,  "  I  know 
that  my  Redeemer  hveth."  Moses,  who  was  himself 
a  great  deliverer,  spake  to  the  people  of  the  Prophet 
like  to  himself,  whom  the  Lord  should  raise  up  of  their 
brethren,  and  whom  they  should  hear  in  all  things. 
David  and  the  other  prophets  rejoiced  in  him  as  the 
Redeemer  of  Israel,  and  the  God  of  their  salvation. 
Such  language  as  the  following  was  familiar  to  them: 
"  And  he  shall  redeem  Israel  from  all  his  iniquities." 
"  But  I  will  have  mercy  upon  the  house  of  Judah,  and 
will  save  them  by  the  Lord  their  God."  "I  will  also 
give  thee  for  a  light  to  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  mayest 
be  my  salvation  unto  the  end  of  the  earth."  "  And  the 
Redeemer,  shall  come  to  Zion."  As  if  the  happy  events 
so  often  predicted,  had  already  received  their  accom- 
plishment, the  prophet  speaks  in  the  following  sublime 
strains:  "Break  forth  into  joy,  sing  together,  ye  waste 
places  of  Jerusalem:  for  the  Lord  hath  comforted  his 
people,  he  hath  redeemed  Jerusalem.  The  Lord  hath 
made  bare  his  holy  arm  in  the  eyes  of  all  the  nations; 
and  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  shall  see  the  salvation  of 
our  God."     Is.  lii.  3.  10. 

The  ancient  church  would  have  no  difficulty  in  un- 
derstanding such  passages  in  the  writings  of  their 
prophets.  Their  national  history  furnished  numerous 
examples  of  redemption,  deliverance,  and  salvation 
from   temporal  evil:' such  language,  therefore,  would 


^  REDEMPTION.  247 

be  perfectly  intelligible  when  used  in  relation  to  their 
spiritual  and  eternal  condition.  Their  redemption 
from  the  bondage  of  Egypt,  and  in  i;iumerous  instances, 
from  the  power  of  the  surrounding  nations,  would  ena- 
ble them  to  comprehend,  bj  analogy,  what  was  meant 
bj  redemption  from  sin,  death,  and  hell,  by  the  power- 
ful interposition  of  Immanuel. 

2.  The  redemption  of  Christ  was  prefigured  by  the 
offices  and  achievements  of  the  most  illustrious  person- 
ages of  the  nation  of  Israel;  of  Moses,  who  delivered 
the  people  from  the  oppression  of  the  Egyptians;  of 
Joshua,  who  gave  them  victory  over  their  enemies,  and 
introduced  them  into  the  promised  land;  of  the  Judges 
and  Princes,  who  were  raised  up  of  God  to  save  them 
from  their  destroyers;  of  the  Priests,  who  by  offering 
sacrifices,  according  to  divine  appointment,  obtained 
reconciliation  and  pardon  for  the  people.  These  dis- 
tinguished persons  were  types  of  Christ;  and  the  deli- 
verances accomplished  by  them,  were  designed  to  pre- 
figure the  more  glorious  deliverance  to  be  accomplished 
by  him.  It  would  be  a  perversion  of  all  reason  to  con- 
sider the  work  of  the  Antitype  as  less  real,  substantial, 
and  complete,  than  that  of  the  type. 

3.  Animal  sacrifices  were  an  important  part  of  the 
religious  service  of  the  Church  during  former  dispen- 
sations. They  were  ordained  of  God  from  the  begin- 
ning; and  the  chief  design  of  them  was  to  prefigure,  by 
the  shedding  of  blood,  and  the  destruction  of  life,  the 
sufferings  and  death  of  Christ:  who  verily  was  foreor- 
dained before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  to  be  a 
sacrifice  to  satisfy  divine  justice,  and  to  make  reconci- 
liation for  the  transgressions  of  the  people.  In  the  ob- 
servance of  this  institution,  the  believer  acknowledged 


248  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

his  sin  and  desert  of  punishment;  he  expressed  his 
faith  in  the  great  sacrifice  of  the  Lord's  appointment, 
and  his  desire  and  hope  of  being  saved  only  through  its 
powerful  efficacy.  In  the  rite  of  sacrifice,  a  forcible 
exhibition  was  given  of  some  of  the  most  important 
principles  oftlie  Gospel,  of  the  substitution  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  in  the  room  of  sinners;  of  the  imputation  of  our 
transgressions  to  him;  of  the  expiation  of  sin  and  recon- 
ciliation with  God,  by  his  vicarious  obedience  and 
death;  of  the  pardon  of  our  iniquities,  and  the  gift  of 
eternal  life,  obtained  through  the  merit  of  his  death, 
"imputed  to  us  and  received  by  faith  alone." 

From  animal  sacrifices,  we  derive  an  invincible  proof 
of  the  merit  and  efficacy  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ.  If 
the  sacrifice  of  an  animal  made  an  atonement  and 
secured  pardon,  can  you  suppose  that  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ  will  fail  of  obtaining  pardon  and  life  to  those  for 
whom  he  offi^red  himself?  "  For  if  the  blood  of  bulls 
and  of  goats,  and  the  ashes  of  an  heifer  sprinkling  the 
unclean,  sanctifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh:  how 
much  more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who  through  the 
eternal  spirit  offered  himself  without  spot  to  God,  purge 
your  conscience  from  dead  works  to  serve  the  living 
God?"  Shall  we  attribute  less  to  tlie  substance  than 
to  the  shadow?  to  the  offering  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
than  to  that  of  a  mere  animal?  Shall  we  ascribe  to 
the  priest  under  the  law  the  power  of  making  reconci- 
liation for  sin,  and  deny  this  power  to  the  great  High- 
priest  of  our  profession? 

4.  The  doctrine  of  redemption  is  amply  proved  by 
the  works  and  names  ascribed  to  the  Lord  Jesus  in  the 
New  Testament.  "  He  gave  his  life  a  ransom  for 
many."     "In  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his 


REDEMPTION. 


249 


blood."  "Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace  through 
the  redemption  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  '•  Having  ob- 
tained eternal  redemption  for  us.*'  "Who  gave  himself  for 
us  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity."  The 
Greek  word  which  is  used  in  these  and  similar  passages, 
primarily  signifies  the  redemption  of  captives  "taken  in 
war,  by  the  payment  of  a  stipulated  price:  which  was 
thence  called  the  price  of  redemption^  or  the  ransom. 
Now,  we  know  that  the  elect,  according  to  the  prede- 
termination of  God  the  Father,  were  not  redeemed 
with  corruptible  things  as  silver  and  gold,  but  with  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ.  This  is  the  price  of  our  re- 
redemption.  This  is  the  ransom  which  procures  our 
deliverance  from  the  bondage  of  sin  and  Satan,  from 
the  power  of  death,  and  the  wrath  to  come.  As,  there- 
fore, ransomed  captives  returned  to  their  own  country, 
in  consequence  of  the  payment  of  the  price  of  their 
redemption,  so  "the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall  return, 
and  come  to  Zion  with  songs  and  everlasting  joy  upon 
their  heads." 

Would  it  not  be  exceedingly  incongruous,  my  breth- 
ren, to  represent  the  blood  of  Christ,  the  price  of  our 
redemption,-  as  less  efficacious  than  such  corruptible 
things  as  silver  and  gold?  Can  it  be  possible  that  this 
most  precious  ransom  should  fail  of  securing  our  final 
deliverance  from  sin,  and  death,  and  hell?  Most  as- 
suredly not.  The  ransom  has  been  paid,  and  accepted  : 
final  deliverance  is  therefore  infallibly  sure  to  all  the 
promised  seed;  to  all  for  whom  the  ransom  has  been 
paid  and  accepted, 

5.  The  Church  is  said  to  \)q  purchased  or  bought  with 
the  price  of  Christ's  blood.  "  Feed  the  Church  of 
God,"  says  Paul  to  the   Elders  of  Ephesus,  "which  he 

21=^ 


250  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

halli  purchased  with  his  own  blood."  He  tells  the 
church  at  Corinth  that  "  thej  were  bought  with  a  price.'''' 
In  Heaven,  the  four  living  creatures,  and  the  four  and 
twenty  elders,  the  emblematical  representatives  of  the 
whole  Church,  worship  and  praise  the  Lamb,  "  For 
thou  wast  slain  and  hast  redeemed  (or  bought)  us  to  God 
by  thy  blood."  Rev.  v.  9.  The  people  of  God  are 
denominated  a  purchased  people,  1  Pet.  ii.  3;  and  Hea- 
ven is  i\ni\T  purchased  possession,  Eph.  i.  14.  The  par- 
ties in  the  stipulation  being  infinitely  just;  and  the 
price  of  purchase  having  been  paid;  we  have  no  hesi- 
tation in  believing  that  the  final  redemption  of  the 
purchased  people,  and  of  their  inheritance,  is  infallibly 
certain. 

6.  By  the  death  of  Christ,  as  a  sacrifice  to  satisfy 
divine  justice,  reconciliation  with  God  is  effected,  and 
eternal  life  secured  for  all  who  are  interested  in  this 
sacrifice  of  the  Lord's  appointment.  This  is  the  view, 
my  brethren,  which  is  most  frequently  and  emphatically 
given  in  Scripture  of  the  cause  of  salvation.  The  sac- 
rifice of  Christ  is  declared  to  be  the  substance  and 
consummation  of  all  former  sacrifices.  "  Christ  our 
Passover,  is  sacrificed  for  us."  "  By  a  sacrifice  for  sin, 
lie  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh."  Rom.  viii.  3.  "  Christ 
was  once  offered  to  bear  the  sins  of  many."  "He  ap- 
peared to  put  away  vsin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself." 
"Who  through  the  eternal  spirit  offered  himself  with- 
out spot  to  God."  "For  by  one  offering  he  hath  per- 
fected for  ever  them  that  are  sanctified. " 

The  expiation  of  sin  and  reconciliation  with  God 
are  effected,  not  by  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats,  but  by 
the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  Lamb  without 
blemish  and  without  spot.     By  this  precious  offering 


J 


REDEMPTIOX.  251 

and  sacrifice  he  has  "  finished  the  transgression  and 
made  an  end  of  sins,  and  made  reconcihation  for  ini- 
quity, and  brought  in  everlasting  righteousness."  Dan. 
ix.  24.  By  faith  in  this  divinely  appointed  and  ac- 
cepted sacrifice,  we  are  enabled  to  "joy  iu  God  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  we  have  now  received 
the  atonement'' — obtained  the  reconciliation.  Rom.  v.  11. 
Salvation  is  sure  to  all  for  whom  the  reconciliation  has 
been  made;  "  For  if  when  we  were  enemies,  we  were 
reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  son,  much  more, 
being  reconciled,  we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life." 

7.  The  name  of  Saviour  is  almost  appropriated  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  in  the  New  Testament.  He  is  called  the 
Saviour,  by  way  of  eminence.  He  is  the  great  Anti- 
type of  all  who  i#  the  Old  Testament  were  called 
saviours;  as  Joshua,  the  Judges,  and  Kings,  who  were 
employed  by  God  in  an  extraordinary  manner  to  deli- 
ver his  people.  The  prophets  marked  him  as  a  glorious 
and  almighty  Saviour;  "The  Lord  shall  send  them  a 
Saviour,  says  Isaiah,  and  a  great  one,  and  he  shall  deli- 
ver them."  Before  his  birth,  an  angel  directed  his 
name  to  be  called  Jesus,  which  signifies  Jehovah  the 
Saviour,  and  the  reason  of  the  name  is  given,  "  For  he 
shall  SAVE  his  pcojjle  from  their  sins."  Our  Lord  him- 
self tells  us  that  he  '•  came  to  save  that  which  was  lost." 
The  apostle  Paul  pronounces  it  "  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into 
the  world  to  save  sinners  J''*  To  assert  that  Christ  ren- 
dered salvation  merely  possible  and  consistent,  is  far 
from  giving  due  honor  to  the  great  captain  of  our 
salvation,  who,  by  the  merit  of  his  sujBferings,  and  the 
conduct  of  his  power  and  grace,  actually  brings  many 
sons  to  glory.     Heb.  ii.  10. 


252  ORIGINAL  SERMOxXS. 

8.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  called  the  Deliverer, 
"There  shall  come  out  of  Zion  the  Deliverer."  He 
delivers  us  from  the  present  evil  world,  from  the  power 
of  darkness,  and  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Bj  the 
eflicacy  of  his  death,  hy  the  power  of  his  Spirit,  and  by 
the  direction  of  his  providence,  lie  absolutely  secures 
our  deliverance  from  the  world,  and  sin,  and  hell;  and 
our  final  participation  of  the  joy  and  glory  of  heaven. 

Such  is  a  brief  specimen  of  the  evidence  furnished 
by  the  scriptures  in  proof  of  the  grand  and  essential 
doctrine  of  redemption.  The  sins  of  men,  viewed  in 
connexion  with  the  divine  majesty  and  holiness,  ren- 
dered their  salvation  impossible  without  an  atonement 
which  it  was  not  in  their  power  to  make.  But  Christ, 
the  heavenly  Lamb,  by  the  shedHhig  of  his  precious 
blood,  has  taken  away  our  sins;  by  his  obedience  and 
death;  as  our  surety,  he  has  made  satisfaction  to  divine 
justice  for  our  offences,  and  purchased  for  us  a  heavenly 
and  eternal  life. 

in.  Having  shown  the  reality  of  the  doctrine  of  re- 
demption; let  us  now,  my  brethren,  consider  the  majesty 
and  grandeur  of  this  truth.  The  mind  of  man  is 
framed  for  the  contemplation  of  what  is  great  and  sub- 
lime in  the  works  of  nature,  and  in  the  conduct  of 
intellectual  and  moral  beings.  With  mingled  emotions 
of  wonder  and  admiration,  we  view  the  lofty  mountain, 
the  roaring  cataract,  and  the  wide-extended  ocean. 
He  does  not  possess  the  dignity  nor  the  enjoyment  of 
a  rational  being,  who  can  pass,  without  interest,  the 
manifestations  of  infinite  power,  wisdom,  and  greatness, 
so  variously  and  so  abundantly  distributed  through  the 
Creator's  works. 

Moral  sublimity  is  adapted  to  make  a  still  deeper 


REDEMPTION.  '  253 

impression.  Examples  of  justice,  veracity,  fidelity, 
friendship,  and  patriotism,  are  found  to  occur  in  the 
history  of  the  world,  which  fill  every  spectator  with 
esteem  and  admiration.  Some  qualities  which  com* 
mand  respect  have  hcen  found  among  the  heathen;  but 
it  is  under  the  influence  of  the  word  and  Spirit  of  God, 
.that  we  are  presented  Avith  the  more  substantial  and 
glorious  exhibitions  of  moral  grandeur.  Who  can 
read  of  the  faith  and  obedience,  the  constancy  and 
patience,  the  intrepidity  and  noble  disinterestedness, 
of  patriarchs  and  propliets,  of  apostles  and  martyrs, 
without  feelings  of  higli  respect  and  veneration.  We 
revere  their  magnanimity  and  firmness  of  purpose, 
their  heavenly  ardor  and  contempt  of  the  world,  their 
piety  towards  God,  and  their  goodness  towards  men. 

No  transaction  which  has  occurred  in  our  world,  can 
admit  of  comparison,  for  sublimity,  with  the  work  of 
redemption  by  the  Son  of  God.  When  we  consider 
the  dignity  of  his  person,  the  depth  of  his  abasement, 
the  intensity  of  his  sufferings,  the  character  wliich  he 
sustained  as  our  substitute,  and  the  grandeur  and  vast- 
ness  of  the  objects  to  be  accomplished  by  his  mediation, 
we  cannot  fail  of  being  impressed  with  the  profoundest 
sentiments  of  awe,  amazement,  and  admiration.  The 
person  who  obeys  and  suffers  is  the  eternal  Son  of  God, 
one  with  the  Father  and  Holy  Spirit,  the  Creator  of  all 
worlds,  and  entitled  to  universal  and  everlasting  adora- 
tion. But  notwithstanding  his  antecedent  dignity  and 
glory,  he  condescended  to  become  a  man,  a  man  of 
sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief.  He  took  upon  him 
the  form  of  a  servant,  appeared  in  the  likeness  of  sinful 
flesh,  and  became  obedient  to  death,  even  the  death  of 
the  cross. 


254  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

It  is  manifest,  however,  that  apart  from  the  character 
sustained  by  the  sufferer,  there  can  be  no  merit,  worth, 
or  efficacy  in  mere  sufferings.  Pain  and  death  are  not 
desirable  for  their  own  sakes;  nor  can  the  pain  and 
death  of  one  avail  for  the  exemption  and  release  of 
another;  unless  the  former  be  recognized  as  the  substi- 
tute of  the  latter.  That  our  Lord  Jesus  obeyed  and 
died  as  the  substitute  and  surety  of  his  people,  is  unde- 
niably true,  and  essentially  important  in  the  Christian 
religion.  The  ancient  rite  of  sacrifice  was  intended  to 
prefigure  and  illustrate  the  substitution  of  Jesus,  the 
Lamb  of  God,  for  his  people,  the  imputation  of  their 
sins  to  him,  and  the  true  character  of  his  sufferings,  as 
vicarious  and  expiatory.  The  fifty-third  chapter  of 
Isaiah's  prophecy  furnishes  a  most  impressive  view  of 
the  nature  and  design  of  our  Lord's  passion;  "Surely 
he  hath  borne  our  griefs  and  carried  our  sorrows.  He 
was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for 
our  iniquities;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon 
him;  and  with  his  stripes  we  are  healed.  All  we  like 
sheep  have  gone  astray;  we  have  turned  every  one  to 
his  own  way;  and  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity 
of  us  all.  For  the  transgression  of  my  people  was  he 
stricken.  By  the  knowledge  of  him  shall  my  righteous 
servant  justify  many,  for  he  shall  bear  their  iniquities." 
Can  we  doubt  that  the  prophet,  in  these  expressions, 
regarded  the  Saviour  as  taking  the  place  of  his  people; 
as  suffering  not  merely  for  their  benefit,  but  in  their 
stead  to  make  satisfaction  to  divine  justice;  and  as 
securing,  by  the  merits  of  his  death,  their  justification 
and  eternal  glory  ?  The  same  idea  of  substitution  and 
vicarious  suffering  is  presented  in  the  New  Testament; 
"Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law, 


REDEMPTION. 


255 


being  made  a  curse  for  us."  "Who  his  own  self  bare 
our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree."  For  Christ  also 
hath  once  suffered  for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust." 
"He  gave  his  life  a  ransom  for  many." 

In  the  work  of  redemption  by  the  mediation  and 
death  of  our  Lord,  there  is  a  reciprocal  imputation. 
On  the  one  hand,  the  sins  of  the  elect  were  imputed  to 
Christ;  and  in  consequence  of  this,  he  suffered  for  sin, 
the  just  instead  of  the  unjust:  on  the  other  hand,  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  is  imputed  to  his  believing  peo- 
ple; and  on  this  ground  they  are  justified  and  adjudged 
to  everlasting  life.  If  this  be  not  true,  our  hope  of 
heaven  and  happiness  hereafter  is  vain.  If  Christ  did 
not  suffer  as  our  surety,  and  in  our  stead,  our  sins  are 
jet  accounted  to  us  for  condemnation^  and  we  must 
expect  to  bear  them  forever,  with  all  their  tremendous 
consequences.  But  the  pardon  and  salvation  of  be- 
lievers, is  an  incontestable  proof  that  Chri&t  has  paid 
their  debt,  and  purchased  the  heavenly  inheritance  for 
them. 

What  Christian  does  not  find  his  soul  dilate  with  the 
sublimest  emotions  of  gratitude  and  admiration,  whilst 
contemplating  the  glorious  work  of  redemption.  We 
behold  the  eternal  Father,  giving  up  his  beloved  Son 
to  the  curse  of  the  law,  the  ignominy  of  the  cross,  and 
the  pains  of  death,  for  the  purpose  of  delivering  us 
from  the  condemnation  of  sin,  and  the  perdition  of  hell. 
Often  before  had  he  given  manifestations  of  the  great- 
ness of  bis  love,  and  the  terrors  of  his  justice:  but  never 
did  either  shine  forth  so  conspicuously,  as  when  the 
Son  of  God  hung  on  the  accursed  tree,  and  darkness 
covered  the  whole  land.  So  great  was  the  love  of 
God  to  men,  that  for  the  sake  of  accomplishing  their 


256  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

redemption,  he  spared  not  his  oimi  Son,  He  was 
pleased  to  bruise  him,  to  put  liim  to  grief,  to  make  his 
soul  an  offering  for  sin,  and  to  lay  upon  his  blessed  and 
beloved  head  a  weight  of  wrath  which  would  have  sunk 
us  down  to  everlasting  destruction. 

We  behold  also  the  liOrd  Jesus,  whose  antecedent 
dignity  and  transcendant  glory  made  him  equal  with 
God,  giving  himself  to  the  humiliation  and  sufferings  of 
death,  with  the  intention  of  effecting  our  redemption. 
We  see  the  good  Shepherd  giving  his  life  a  ransom  for 
the  flock.     We  contemplate  the  Captain  of  our  salva- 
tion bringing  many  sons  to  glory,  by  being  made  per- 
fect through  sufferings.     We  behold  the  Lamb  of  God, 
taking  away  the  sins  of  the  world.     We  admire  the 
divine  love  and  condescending  mercy  of  the  Saviour, 
in  submitting  to  the  reproaches  and  cruelty  of  men,  the 
assaults  of  the  devil,  and  the  accursed  death  of  the 
cross  for  our  sakes.     We  are  filled  with  amazement  at 
the  exhibition  furnished  by  the  death  of  Christ,  of  the 
awful  grandeur  of  divine  justice.     The  everlasting  de- 
struction of  wicked  men  and  devils  gives  a  strong  dis- 
play of  this  glorious  but  tremendous  attribute;  but  in 
the  sorrows  and  death  of  his  Son,  God  has  presented 
us  with  a  far  more  impressive  manifestation  of  its  inflex- 
ible strictness,  its  terrific   grandeur.     That  rebellious 
servants  would  be  punished,  might  have  been  antici- 
pated; but  surely  it  might  be  expected  that  an  obedient 
and  beloved  Son  would  be  spared:  yet  "God  spared 
not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all." 

Where  then  shall  we  find  so  bright  a  display  of  the 
perfections  of  God,  as  in  the  salvation  of  sinful  men 
by  the  expiatory  sufferings  and  death  of  his  Son?  Is 
any  event,  which  has  ever  transpired  in  our  world,  so 


REDEMPTION.  257 

well  adapted  to  fill  our  minds  with  profound  admiration 
and  solemn  awe  ?  Do  not  the  most  applauded  achieve- 
ments of  men,  the  most  interesting  occurrences  in  the 
history  of  our  race,  sink  into  insignificance,  when  com- 
pared with  the  events  of  Calvary.  Shall  we  admire 
whatever  is  beautiful  and  grand  in  the  world  of  mat- 
ter, shall  we  applaud  the  splendid  and  beneficent 
actions  of  our  fellow  creatures,  but  have  no  heart  to 
admire  and  celebrate  the  love  of  God  in  giving  his  Son 
to  be  a  propitiation  for  our  sins?  Have  we  no  discern- 
ment of  the  superlative  excellence  and  glory  of  the 
doctrine  of  Christ  crucified  for  our  salvation?  The 
corrupt  and  blinded  world  may  pronounce  the  doctrine 
foolishness;  and  some  perhaps  who  profess  Christianity 
may  imagine  that  it  needs  improvement  to  suit  the  light 
and  the  liberality  of  the  age;  yet  to  all  who  are  illumi- 
nated from  above,  it  will  appear  the  wisdom  of  God, 
and  the  power  of  God  to  salvation. 

Christian  brethren,  a  correct  understanding  of  the 
doctrine  of  redemption  will  lead  us  to  profound  humilia- 
tion for  sin.  to  assured  confidence  in  the  gracious  Re- 
deemer, and  to  admiring  gratitude  and  unreserved 
obedience.  This  is  the  practical  use  which  you  ought 
to  make  of  this  grand  and  most  important  truth.  Con- 
template your  former  prostrate  and  ruined  condition. 
Condemnation  and  spiritual  death  were  incurred  in 
Adam,  your  head  and  representative.  Happiness  and 
heaven  were  forfeited,  and  lost  by  that  one  transgres- 
sion, which  brought  sin  and  death  into  our  world.  By 
the  eye  of  God  our  race  were  looked  upon  as  fallen, 
condemned,  depraved,  and  miserable.  Whence  could 
you  look  for  help  ?  How  could  the  guilty  rebel  remove 
the  heavy  curse  which  rested  on  his  head  ?     How  could 

22 


258  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

he  make  an  atonement  for  his  many  and  aggravated 
iniquities?  How  could  he  restore  tlie  honor  of  the 
divine  law,  and  give  satisfaction  to  offended  justice? 
Had  you  any  good  reason  to  expect  that  God,  your 
offended  Sovereign  and  Lord,  would  interpose  for  your 
deliverance?  No  such  anticipation  could  be  enter- 
tained, whether  you  considered  the  nature  and  desert 
of  sin,  committed  as  it  is  against  a  Being  of  infinite 
majesty,  glory,  and  blessedness;  or  the  antecedent  dis- 
pensations of  God  towards  those  that  had  sinned. 
V/hen  angels  sinned,  they  .were  cast  down  to  hell,  and 
reserved  to  eternal  punishment.  You  had  no  right  to 
expect  that  mercy,  withheld  from  them,  would  be  ex- 
tended to  you. 

It  is  evidently  your  reasonable  duty,  to  admire,  and 
adore  the  love  of  God  in  providing  salvation  for  sinners, 
at  an  expense  so  unspeakably  great;  and  to  receive 
with  joy  and  readiness  the  word  of  this  salvation* 
There  is  no  otlier  way  in  which  you  can  be  saved.  "I 
am  the  vray,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life:  no  man  cometh 
unto  the  Father,  but  by  me."  "  Neither  is  there  salva- 
tion in  any  other."  Every  other  ground  of  dependence 
for  eternal  life  will  be  found  delusive  and  vain. 

We  are  often  amazed  in  considering  the  apathy  with 
which  so  many  appear  to  regard  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
A  multitude  of  worldly  objects  engage  their  attention 
and  interest;  whilst  they  treat  with  entire  unconcern 
the  great  salvation  purchased  by  the  abasement  and 
death  of  the  Lord  of  glory.  But  the  reason  undoubt- 
edly is,  they  are  not  duly  convinced  of  the  sinfulness, 
misery,  and  danger  of  their  native  condition.  Their 
minds  are  kept  in  security  and  peace,  by  unscriptural 
and  ruinous  opinions  concerning  the  natural  condition 


REDEMPTIOX.  259 

and  character  of  man.  Thev  are  far  from  lookino; 
upon  themselves  as  sinners,  without  strength  of  their 
own,  and  exposed  to  eternal  wrath.  Whilst  in  this 
state  of  mind,  it  is  impossible  for  them  duly  to  appre- 
ciate the  glad  tidings  of  the  gospel. 

We  rejoice  in  witnessing  a  salutary  anxiety  and 
concern  among  the  people.  Indifference  about  the 
salvation  of  Jesus  Christ  is  to  multitudes  an  evident 
token  of  perdition.  To  all  vrho  are  desirous  of  know- 
ing what  they  shall  do  to  be  saved,  we  say,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  illustrious  forerunner  of  our  Lord,  "Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God."'  "He  that  believeth  on  the  Son 
hath  everlasting  life:  and  he  that  believeth  not  the 
Son  shall  not  see  life;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on 
him."  In  him  God  enters  into  covenant  with  us,  par- 
dons our  transgressions,  clothes  us  with  his  righteous. 
ness,  gives  us  a  title,  and  makes  us  meet  for  the 
heavenly  kingdom.  Come,  then,  unto  the  Lord  Jesus. 
He  is  worthy  of  your  confidence.  In  him  you  will  find 
deliverance  from  every  evil,  and  be  replenished  with 
every  blessing  for  time  and  for  eternity. 

Believers  are  under  the  hicrhest  oblisfations  to  love, 
honor,  and  serve  their  condescending  and  gracious 
Redeemer.  To  provide  salvation  for  you,  he  emptied 
himself  of  his  glory;  and  submitted  to  unparalleled 
abasement,  ignominy,  and  suflfering.  What  return  is 
required  and  expected  from  you?  Can  you  say,  in  the 
words  of  the  beloved  disciple,  "We  love  him  because 
he  first  loved  us.*'  Has  your  conduct,  in  tirhe  past, 
evinced  your  attachment  to  him,  and  your  grati- 
tude according  to  his  unspeakable  benefits?  What  are 
you  now  doing  for  him  who  has  done  so  much  for  you? 
,  The  true  Christian,  who  duly  appreciates  the  grace  of 


260  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

the  Lord  Jesus,  will  account  no  adoration^  however 
exalted,  no  obedience^  however  laborious,  no  self-denial^ 
however  painful,  to  be  too  much,  when  prompted  by 
love  to  him  who  came  down  from  heaven,  and  gave 
himself  to  the  accursed  death  of  the  cross  for  his  re- 
demption. 


SERMON  XV. 

BY   THE    REV.   JOSHUA   L.  WILSON,    D.    D, 

THE  SANCTUARY  POLLUTED. 

Her  prophets  are  light  and  treacherous  persons:  her  priests  have  polluted 
the  sanctuary,  they  have  done  violence  to  the  law. 

Zefh.  iii.  4. 

Zephaniah  was  one  of  the  Lord's  prophets  "in  the  dajs^ 
of  Josiah,  king  of  Judah."  Zeph.  i.  L  Josiah  was 
placed  on  the  throne  of  David,  when  a  child;  and 
before  the  years  of  manhood,  gave  decided  evidence 
of  true  piety.  In  the  twelfth  year  of  his  reign  and 
eighteenth  of  his  age,  he  began  to  "  purge  Jerusalem 
and  Judah  from  idols,"  destroy  the  monuments  of  false 
worship  among  the  ten  tribes,  and  cause  the  temple  to 
be  repaired,  which  had  been  suffered  greatly  to  decay. 
During  the  progress  of  the  repairs,  ILlkiah,  the  High 
Priest,  found  a  copy  of  the  law  of  the  Lord,  which  had 
long  lain  in  a  state  of  disuctude.  The  contents  of  this 
sacred  record  was  in  a  great  measure  unknown  even 


THE  SANCTUAltY  POLLUTED.  261 

to  the  king.     When  the  law  was  read  to  him,  perceiv- 
ing what  a  criminal  and  shameful  neglect  there  had 
heen  of  true  religion — what  gross  idolatry  and  impiety 
had   become   prevalent — and    the    ruinous    calamities 
which  would  most  certainly  befal  the  whole  nation, 
unless  timely  repentance  averted  the  righteous  j  udg- 
ments  of  God,  Josiah  became  deeply  affected,  rent  his 
clothes  for  grief,  and  commenced  a  work  of  extensive 
reformation.     A  great  revival  of  religion  immediately 
ensued,  and  most  of  his  subjects  professedly  turned  to 
the  Lord.     Josiah,  as  long  as  he  lived,  was  an  eminent 
servant  of  God;  but    before  his  death  a  melancholy 
declension  took  place,  and  time   disclosed  the  melan- 
choly secret  that  most  of  the  conversions  during  the 
revival,  w  ere   the  effects  of  temporary  excitement  or 
deliberate  hypocrisy.     Jeremiah  and   Zephaniah,  co- 
temporary  prophets,  have  both  told  us   this  sad  story. 
2  Kings  xxii.  xxiii.     2  Chron.  xxxiv.  xxxv.     The  dark 
picture  of  the  Church,  drawn  by  the  prophets  of  the 
Lord  at  that  period,  presents  to  our  view  a  semblance 
of  her  polluted  condition  in  subsequent  ages.     Look  at 
this  picture — 

"Wo  to  her  that  is  filthy  and  polluted,  to  the  op- 
pressing cityl  She  obeyed  not  the  voice;  she  received 
not  correction;  she  trusted  not  in  the  Lord;  she  drew 
not  near  to  her  God.  Her  princes  within  her  are 
roaring  lions;  her  judges  are  evening  wolves;  they 
gnaw  not  the  bones  till  the  morrow.  Her  prophets  are 
light  and  treacherous  persons;  her  priests  have  polluted 
THE  SANCTUARY,  they  havs  done  xiolence  to  the  law,^^ 

"Her  Prophets''^  were  by  education  and  profession  the 
instructors  and  guides  of  the  people — but  they  were 

22=^ 


262 


OllIGINAL  SERMONS. 


liglil  and  treacherous — unstable,  inconsistent,  ready  to 
comply  with  the  vain  desires  of  corrupt  minds,  and 
shape  their  instructions  and  predictions  to  promote 
their  own  popularity.  How  earnestly,  on  a  certain 
occasion,  was  a  true  prophet  solicited  to  he  as  light 
and  treacherous  as  were  the  deceivers.  "  Let  thy  word, 
I  pray  thee,  be  like  the  word  of  one  of  them."  1 
Kings  xxii.  13,  14. 

''^  Her  Priests,'^''  appointed  and  ordained  to  minister  in 
holy  things,  to  offer  sacrifices  for  remission  of  sins,  and 
to  stand  with  holy  hands  as  intercessors  with  God  in 
behalf  of  the  people,  "polluted  the  sanctuary,"  by  per- 
verting the  ordinances  of  the  Lord's  appointment,  and 
uniting  with  the  Prophets  in  "doing  violence  to  the 
law'' — wresting  it  from  its  true  meaning,  to  suit  their 
own  convenience  and  please  corrupt  minds.  The  peo- 
ple concurred  in  these  abominations,  and  hence  the 
servants  of  God  were  defamed,  disregarded,  abused, 
and  some  suffered  violent  deaths.  "  They  were  stoned, 
they  were  sawn  asunder — they  wandered — of  whom 
tJie  world  was  not  worthy."  Compare  the  treatment 
of  Jeremiah  with  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  chap- 
ter xi.,  verses  oC,  37,  38.  The  recorded  testi- 
mony during  this  great  declension  is  truly  discriminat- 
ing and  impressive.  "  The  priest's  lips  should  keep 
knowledge,  and  they  should  seek  the  law  at  his  mouth, 
but  ye  are  departed  out  of  the  way,  ye  have  caused 
many  to  stumble."  "A  wonderful  and  horrible  thing 
is  committed  in  the  land,  the  Prophets  prophecy  falsely, 
and  the  priests  bear  rule  by  their  means;  and  my  people 
love  to  have  it  so;  and  what  will  yc  do  in  the  ^nd  thereof!" 
Mahii.  7,  8.     Jer.  v.  30,  31." 


THE  SANCTUARY  POLLUTED.  263 

In  taking  a  view  of  the  subject  before  us,  I  shall — 

I.  Inquire,  what  is  meant  by  the  Sanctuary?  and 
attempt — 

II.  To  prove,  that  the  Sanctuary  has  been  polluted  in 
every  age,  bv  the  professed  ministers  and  professing 
people  of  God. 

I.  I  shall  enquire,  what  is  meant  by  the  Sanctuai-y, 
Sanctuary  is  a  refuge,  defence,  and  protection. 
Thus,  the  Lord,  affording  encouragement  to  the  rem- 
nants of  Israel,  whom  he  cast  far  off  among  the  Hea- 
then, said,  "I  will  be  to  them  as  a  little  sanctuary  in 
the  countries  where  they  shall  come."  Eze.  xi.  16. 
Com.  Is.  viii.  14  with  Prov.  xviii.  10. 

Sanctuary  was  the  most  holy  place  of  the  Taber- 
nacle, which  was  divided  into  two  partitions.  The  first 
was  the  holy  place,  the  second  the  most  holy  place,  or 
Sanctuary,  In  and  at  this  Tabernacle,  the  Israelites, 
in  the  wilderness,  and  until  the  building  of  the  first 
temple,  performed  the  chief  of  their  religious  services, 
offered  their  sacrifices,  and  worshipped  God.  Com. 
Exo.  XXV.  xxvi.  xxvii.  and  Lev.  first  nine  chapters  with 
Heb.  ix.  1 — 10.  As  the  Jewish  tabernacle  was  a  type 
of  Christ's  human  nature,  and  all  true  worship  is  per- 
formed in  and  through  him;  and  as,  from  the  most  holy 
place  or  sanctuary  of  the  tabernacle  and  temple,  God 
gave  answers  to  his  people,  when  they  called  upon  his 
name ;  so  the  term  sa7ictuary  was  used  in  an  extended 
sense  to  mean  the  people  of  God,  sanctified  and  set 
apart  from  all  the  nations  of  the  world  to  be  his  pecu- 
liar possession,  and  also  for  the  place  appointed  for  the 
pubhc  worship  of  the  Lord's  people.  Lev.  iv.  6. 
Heb.  viii.  2.  ix.  11.  Ps.  iv.  1.  Ixxiii.  17.  cxiv.  2.  Is. 
Ixiii.  18. 


264  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

Sanctuary  means  Heaven — the  true  holy  of  holies, 
or  MOST  HOLY  PLACE,  wherc  the  worship  of  God  is  pure 
and  perpetual.  "When  the  Lord  shall  huild  up  Zion, 
he  shall  appear  in  his  glorj.  He  will  regard  the  prayer 
of  the  destitute  and  not  despise  their  prayer.  This 
shall  be  written  for  the  generations  to  come:  and  the 
people  that  shall  he  created,  shall  praise  the  Lord.  For 
he  hath  looked  down  from  the  height  of  his  sanctuary; 
from  heaven  did  the  Lord  behold  the  earth;  to  hear  the 
groanings  of  the  prisoner;  to  loose  those  that  are  ap- 
pointed to  death;  to  declare  the  name  of  the  Lord  in 
Zion  and  his  praise  in  Jerusalem;  when  the  people  are 
gathered  together  and  the  kingdoms  to  serve  the 
Lord."    Ps.  cii.  16—22. 

When  I  find  Zion  and  Jerusalem  used  to  signify  the 
visible  kingdom  of  our  Lord  on  earth;  and  Israel,  to 
denote  his  worshipping  people,  chosen  from  among  all 
nations — when  I  find  the  tabernacle  and  temple,  each  of 
which  contained  the  sanctuary,  denoting  any  place  pro- 
perly dedicated  to  God's  service — when  I  find  heaven, 
the  glorious  temple  of  God  above,  called  his  sanctuary, 
where  the  divine  Majesty  dwelleth  and  the  most  per- 
fect worship  is  celebrated  with  perfect  and  unceasing 
devotion — I  cannot  hesitate  to  say  that  the  sanctuary 
in  its  prophetical  and  evangelical  import,  signifies  any 
place  in  the  Church  of  God,  where  his  people  are  al- 
lowed to  ofibr  to  him  public  and  social  worship. 

To  pollute  the  sanctuary,  in  any  period  of  the  Church, 
means  to  corrupt  the  word  and  ordinances  of  divine 
appointment — depart  from  the  purity  of  God's  precepts 
and  the  rules  and  examples  of  practical  piety.  I  shall 
now  attempt — 

H.  To  prove  that  the  Sanctuary  has  been,  and  still  is, 


THE  SANCTUARY  POLLUTED.  265 

polluted  by  the  professed  ministers  and  professing  people 
of  God. 

The  assailants  of  the  Church  have  been  numerous, 
subtle,  and  powerful;  but  their  assaults  have  been  per- 
mitted as  a  scourge  for  delinquency,  and  like  fire,  have 
purified  her  from  dross  rather  than  corrupted  her  doc- 
trines, order  and  worship.  Attacks  from  without  have 
operated  on  the  Church  like  pressure  upon  an  arch. 
The  materials  are  more  compressed,  imited,  and  firm, 
in  proportion  to  the  weight  on  the  key-stone.  It  is  the 
sapping  and  mining  by  internal  foes,  which  causes  the 
edifice  to  totter.  It  is  when  the  JNIinistry  corrupt  the 
word  and  ordinances  of  God,  and  "the  people  love  to 
have  it  so,"  that  the  sanctuary  is  polluted, 

1.  Our  proposition  is  sustained  by  facts. 

After  the  tabernacle  was  set  up  in  the  wilderness, 
Moses  and  Aaron  had  soon  to  contend  with  Korah,  the 
Levite,  and  his  rebellious  company.  In  this  contro- 
versy none  escaped  from  the  earthquake  and  fire  of 
God's  wrath  but  those  who  decidedly  listened  to  the 
warning  voice  of  Moses  and  separated  themselves  from 
the  corrupters  of  Israel.  But  the  sympathies  of  the 
people  were  excited  in  favor  of  the  ruined  rebels  and 
''the  congregation  murmured  against  Moses  and  against 
Aaron,  saying.  Ye  have  killed  the  people  of  the  Lord,'^ 
And  "wrath  went  out  from  the  Lord,"  and  "they  that 
died  in  the  plague  were  fourteen  thousand  and  seven 
hundred,  besides  them  that  died  about  the  matter  of 
Korah."     Num.  xvi. 

Passing,  at  present,  the  corruptions  of  Israel,  by  the 
devices  of  Jeroboam,  the  son  of  Nebat,  (1  Kings  xii. 
xiii.,)  and  the  conflicts  of  Elijah  with  false  prophets, 
under  the  patronage  of  Ahab  and  Jezebel,  (1  Kings 


26G  ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 

xviii.  xix.,)  I  will  here  repeat  the  testimony  of  Jeremiah, 
Ezekiel,  and  Micah.  "My  heart  within  me  is  broken 
because  of  the  prophets;  both  prophet  and  priest  are 
profane.  I  am  against  them,  saith  the  Lord,  that  cause 
the  people  to  err  bj  their  lies."  "From  the  prophet 
even  unto  the  priest,  every  one  dealeth  falsely.  They 
have  healed  the  hurt  of  the  daughter  of  my  people 
slightly,  saying,  peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no  peace.*' 
Jer.  vi.  xxiii. 

"  The  priests  have  violated  my  law  and  profaned  my 
holy  things."     Eze.  xxii. 

"The  prophets,  that  make  my  people  to  err,  that 
bite  with  their  teeth  and  cry  peace;  and  he  that  putteth 
not  into  their  mouths,  they  even  declare  luar  against 
him."     Mic.  iii. 

^'The  prophets  prophecy  falsely,  and  the  priests 
bear  rule  by  their  means,  and  my  people  love  to  have  it 
so."     Jer.  V. 

When  the  Son  of  God  made  his  visit  to  earth  to 
seek  and  save  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,  and 
to  introduce  a  dispensation  by  which  his  other  sheep 
w^iich  were  not  of  that  fold,  might  be  gathered  in,  did 
he  find  the  sanctuary  in  a  better  condition?  Did  he 
have  to  contend  only  with  Pagans  and  Samaritans? 
Who  was  it,  that  greatly  erred,  "not  knowing  the 
scriptures,  nor  the  power  of  God?"  Who  was  it,  that 
made  void  the  law  through  their  traditions?  WhcT 
were  blind  leaders  of  the  blind?  Who  had  corrupted 
prayer,  and  alms,  and  every  divine  institution?  Who 
had  turned  the  very  house  of  prayer  into  a  den  of 
thieves?  The  teachers  of  religion!  "The  people 
loved  to  have  it  so!"  And  the  Son  of  God,  on  his 
errand  of  mercy  to  a  revolted  world,  was  hissed  as  a 


THE  SANCTUARY  POLLUTED.  267 

gluttonous  man  and  a  winebibber,  reproached  as  a 
Sabbath-breaker,  persecuted  as  a  colleague  of  the 
Prince  of  devils,  crucified  as  a  blasphemer,  and  sealed 
up  in  the  grave  as  an  impostor!!  And  all  this,  by 
whom?  Ministers  of  the  sanctuary!  Priests,  Doctors 
of  Divinity,  Masters  in  Israel,  and  the  professed  wor- 
shijDpers  of  Jehovah!  "i/e  came  to  his  own^  and  his 
own  received  him  not  /" 

"When  the  apostles    and   disciples   commenced  the 
great  work  of  evangelizing  the  heathen,  what  classes 
of  men  gave  them  the  most  trouble?     I  answer  not  this 
question  by  a  reference  to  the  falsehood  of  Annanias 
and  Sapphira,  the  hypocrisy  of  Simon  Magus,  nor  the 
persecutions  raised  by  the  unbelieving  Jews,  who  were 
rejected,  broken  off  from  the  olive  tree;  but  by  asking, 
who  were  they  who  said  to  the  Gentiles,  "  except  ye 
be  circumcised,  and  keep  the  law  of  Moses,  ye  cannot 
be  saved?''     Who  taught  that  the  resurrection  was  past 
and  overthrew  the  faith  of  some?     Who   said  there 
was  no  resurrection?     Who  agitated  the  churches  with 
the  false  notion  that  the  day  of  judgment  would  imme- 
diately come?     Who  had  corrupted  the  Lord's  supper 
till  ministers  and  professors  of  religion  ate  and  drank 
damnation  to  themselves?     Who  denied  the  divinity, 
who  rejected  the  humanity  of  the  Son  of  God?     W^ho 
introduced  "  damnable  heresies,"  and  denied  the  only 
Lord  God?     Whom  did  Paul  accuse  of  preaching  an- 
other gospel?     The  answer  to  all  these  questions  is 
this:   professed    ministers    of  Christianity!      O,    could 
angels   weep,   tears  would  flow  in  heaven,  at   every 
recollection  of  this  dark  picture. 

Passing  the  apostolic  age,  we  come  down  to  a  period 
of  the  church,  the  history  of  which  has  not  been  writ- 


268 


ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 


ten  by  the  pen  of  inspiration.  Yet  such  facts  are  at- 
tested as  to  confirm  the  proposition  I  am  attempting  to 
sustain.  If  so  many  errors  were  zealously  propagated 
in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  might  we  not  expect  a  great 
increase  after  their  death?  A  little  more  than  a  cen- 
tury after  the  disciples  of  Paul  and  John  and  Peter  had 
gone  to  their  graves,  the  whole  Christian  world,  which 
was  then  more  extensive  than  the  Roman  empire,  was 
agitated  from  its  centre  to  its  circumference,  by  the 
heresies  of  one  man.  Arius,  a  Presbyter  of  the  church 
of  Alexandria,  denied  the  eternal  sonship  of  Jesus 
Christ,  taught  that  the  Son  of  God  was  a  created 
being,  the  instrument  by  which  God  formed  the  uni- 
verse, and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  was  not  God,  but  cre- 
ated by  the  power  of  the  Son.  Arius  was  first  con- 
demned as  heretical  at  Alexandria,  and  afterwards  by 
a  general  council  of  380  Fathers.  After  long  strug- 
gles and  many  vicissitudes,  Arius  died  a  sudden  and 
unnatural  death,  "  his  bowels  gushing  out,"  at  the  very 
time  when  he  expected  a  triumph  over  truth!  But  his 
doctrines  did  not  die.  They  became  the  prevailing 
religion  of  the  East,  and  spread  through  Italy,  France, 
and  Spain ;  and  also  Jjecame  triumphant  in  many  parts 
of  Asia,  Africa,  and  Europe.  But  they  sunk,  almost  at 
once,  and  were  not  again  revived  till  the  beginning  of 
the  sixteenth  century;  and  ever  since  they  have,  in 
some  form  or  other,  disturbed  the  church  of  Christ  and 
impeded  the  progress  of  truth. 

Arius  prepared  the  way  for  the  grosser  errors  of 
Pelacius.  These  disturbed  and  distracted  the  whole 
Christian  world  about  the  close  of  the  fourth  century; 
but  the  orthodox  African  Bishops,  with  the  famous  Au- 
gustin.  Bishop  of  Hippo,  at  their  head,  put  an  extin- 


THE  SANCTUARY  POLLUTED.  269 

guisher  on  Pelagianism,  and  it  remained  for  the  churches 
in  subsequent  ages  to  be  corrupted  and  disturbed  by 
the  same  heretical  system.,  modified  and  rendered  plau- 
sible by  the  art  of  Cassian,  a  deacon  of  Constantinople. 
This  heresiarch  taught,  that  "No  one  is  charged  with 
Adam's  sin — that  Christ  •'died  for  all  men — that  grace 
necessary  to  salvation  is  offered  to  all  men — that  God 
does  not  dispense  his  grace  to  one  more  than  another, 
in  consequence  of  predestination;  but  is  willing  to  save 
all  men,  if  they  comply  with  the  terms  of  the  gospel;  '^ 
and  that  man,  being  born  free^  was  able  to  resist  the 
influences  of  grace,  or  comply  with  its  suggestions." 

These  are  the  leading  features  of  Semi-Pelagianism; 
a  delusive  scheme,  which,  down  to  the  present  hour, 
continues  to  perplex  the  church  and  destroy  the  souls 
of  men. 

The  sect,  called  Unitarians,  took  their  rise  in  the 
sixteenth  century,  and  greatly  flourished  under  the 
name  of  Socinians.  But  there  is  some  difference  be- 
tween ancient  and  modern  Socinians,  the  moderns 
being  more  erroneous.  Ancient  Socinians  believed  in 
the  miraculous  conception  of  Jesus  Christ  and  admitted 
that  brought  to  be  worshipped;  both  of  v.hich  tenets 
are  rejected  by  Unitarians.  They  teach  that  the 
Father  is  alone  God — that  Jesus  Christ  was  a  mere 
man — that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  not  a  person  of  the  God- 
head, but  an  influence,  that  is,  as  I  understand  them, 
the  directing  and  modifying  power  of  God.  They 
deny  the  doctrines  of  original  sin,  vicarious  suffering, 
and  imputed  righteousness.  Tliey  say  that  Jesus 
preached  the  truth,  and  set  us  an  example  of  heroic 
virtue,  by  sealing  his  doctrines  with  his  blood,  that  our 
acceptance  with  God  depends  on  our  return  to  him,  by 

23 


270 


ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 


repentance,  like  the  prodigal,  without  any  atonement 
or  satisfaction  being  offered  or  made  hy  the  elder 
brother;  and  for  this  return  we  have  competent  powers 
or  capabilities.  Towards  the  close  of  the  15th  and  in 
the  beginning  of  the  17th  centuries,  Arminius  intro- 
duced a  more  specious  and  popular  system  of  error, 
rendered  acceptable  to  alL  who  love  to  establish  a 
righteousness  of  their  own,  bj  extolling  the  free  grace 
of  God.  Arminianism  contains  a  mixture  of  whole- 
some truth  and  deadly  poison.  "x\  general  atonement 
for  all  mankind,  for  one  man  as  much  as  another,  a 
conditional  election  of  grace,  natural  corruption  but  not 
original  sin,  imparted  but  not  imputed  righteousness,  re- 
generating but  not  persevering  grace,*'  are  potions  of 
the  poison  to  which  I  allude. 

There  are  perhaps  a  thousand  modifications  of  these 
erroneous  systems,  which  have  afflicted  and  agitated, 
distracted  and  divided  the  church  ever  since  the  days 
of  the  apostles.  I  detain  not  even  to  name  them  here; 
but  proceed  to  ask,  who  corrupted  the  visible  church, 
till  she  became  the  mother  of  harlots,  holding  the  golden 
cup  full  of  abominations?  The  ministers  of  religion! 
Who  was  the  disturber  of  Peace  when  380  JEathers 
were  called  from  their  homes  and  their  ministerial  work 
to  the  general  council  of  Nice?  Arius,  Presbyter  of 
Alexandria !  Who  disturbed  the  whole  Christian  world 
with  a  system  so  absurd,*  that  nothing  saved  it  from 
oblivion  but  the  modifications  of  Cassian,  a  Constanti- 
nople Beacon  ?  Pelagius,  the  Abbot  oi^  Banchor !  Who 
commenced  the-  heresy  which  has  degenerated  into 
Unitarianism?  The  indefatigable  Socinus,  father  of 
the  Raronian  Catechism,  and  founder  of  the  Polones 
Fratres!     Who  succeeded  in  corrupting  the  Church 


THE  SANCTUARY  POLLUTED.  271 

with  the  most  specious  and  popular  system  ever  yet 
invented,  by  extoUing/r^e  grace^  and  proclaiming  sal- 
vation by  works?  Arminius,  the  Pastor  at  Amsterdam 
and  professor  of  Divinity  at  Leyden!  And  after  the 
reformation  in  Scotland,  who  polluted  the  Sanctuary^  by 
the  "Mystery  of  Moderation,"  when  the  fellow  feel- 
ing for  heresy  was  so  kind  and  strong,  and  the  Presby- 
terian Confession  of  Faith  so  dishonored,  that  Ministers 
accused  or  suspected  of  departing  from  "  the  form  of 
sound  words,"  or  deviating  from  sound  morals,  were 
extolled  to  the  skies  as  men  of  "  great  genius,  vast 
learning,  and  uncommon  worth,"  who  must  be  "sup- 
ported and  protected"  at  all  hazards,  while  the  ortho- 
dox were  reviled  as  "  implacahlc  heresy  hunters'^  and 
stigmatized  as  sons  of  Belial?  Ministers,  Theological 
Professors,  and  Doctors  of  Divinity!"^  Who  corrupted 
the  Episcopal  Church  of  England,  by  mutilating  her 
Liturgy,  and  preaching  against  her  doctrines,  while 
they  subscribed  her  articles  of  faith  and  enjoyed  their 
ecclesiastical  immunities?  The  Deacons,  Priests,  Pres- 
byters, and  Bishops!! 

Who  introduced  Arminianism,  Arianism,  Semipe- 
lagianism,  and  Unitarianism  into  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  by  which  she  has  been  rent  and  mangled, 
and  bleeding,  in  this  great  valley,  for  the  last  thirty 
years  ?  Ordained  Presbyterian  Ministers ,  four  of 
whom  joined  the  Shakers,  and  one  continues  to  this 
day  the  apostle  of  the  Western  New  Lights.  Who 
have  denied  the  eternal  sonship  of  Jesus  Christ — original 
sin — vicarious  suffering — and  imputed  righteousness? — 
who  have  asserted  conditional  election,   human  ability, 

*  Witherspoon's  Characteristics. 

t  Dr.  Scott's  account  of  Unitarianism  in  the  Enslish  Church, 


273  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

and  indefinite  atonement?  Let  Cumberland  and  New 
School  Presbyterians  and  Professors  of  Theology  from 
Andoverto  Lane  Seminary  answer! 

Who  have  solemnly  adopted  Standards  of  Faith, 
which  they  have  mutilated,  impugned,  denied?  Let 
the  Western  Reserve,  and  Troy,  and  Oneida,  and  Phi- 
ladelphia, and  New  Orleans,  and  Carlisle,  and  Cincin- 
nati respond ! 

2.  Our  proposition  is  sustained  by  prophecies,  warn- 
ings, COMMANDS  and  counsels,  all  mingled  on  the  sacred 
pages. 

Our  blessed  Lord,  in  his  sermon  on  the  mount,  after 
guarding  his  disciples  against  partial,  selfish,  and  rash 
judgments,  speaks  in  the  following  impressive  manner 
about  false  teachers.  "  Beware  of  false  prophets,  which 
come  to  you  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardl}'  they  are 
ravening  wolves.  Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits.*' 
Mat.  vii.  And  on  another  occasion,  "  Take  heed  that 
no  man  deceive  you — for  many  filse  prophets  shall 
arise  and  shall  deceive  many — behold  I  have  told  you 
before."     Mat.  xxiv. 

Paul  said  to  the  Elders  of  Ephcsus,  "Take  heed  unto 
yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock  over  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers,  to  feed  the  Church  of 
God,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood. 
For  I  know  this,  that  after  my  departure  shall  grievous 
wolves  enter  in  among  you,  not  sparing  the  flock.  Also 
of  YOUR  OWN  SELVES  sJiall  mcu  arise,  speaking  perverse 
things  to  draw  away  disciples  after  them.  Therefore 
watch ."     Acts  XX. 

Peter  also  sounded  the  alarm.  "  But  there  were 
false  prophets  among  the  people,  even  as  there  shall  be 
false  teachers  among  you,  who  privily  shall  bring  iix 


THE  SANCTUARY  POLLUTED. 


273 


ddmnable  heresies — and  many  shall  follow  their  perni- 
cious ways,  b  y  reason  of  whom  the  way  of  truth  shall 
be  evil  spoken  of:'  2  Pet.  ii.  Paul's  heart  was  deeply 
affected,  and  hence  we  find  him  often  touching  this 
subject. 

"I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  name  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  all  speak  the  same  thing,  and 
that  there  be  no  divisions  among  you;  but  that  ye  be 
perfectly  joined  together,  in  the  same  mind  and  in  the 
same  judgment."  "  Keep  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the 
bond  of  peace."  "There  is  one  Lord,  one  SpiriU  one 
hope  of  your  calling,  one  head,  one  body,  one  faith,  one 
baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all."  "Brethren, 
mark  them  which  cause  divisions  and  offences,  contrary 
to  the  doctrine  which  ye  have  learned,  and  avoid  thein." 
Why?  "They  serve  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — and 
by  good  words,  and  fair  speeches  deceive  the  hearts  of 
the  simple."  "  I  hear  that  there  are  divisions  among 
you  and  I  partly  believe  it."  Why?  Because  "  there 
must  be  heresies  among  you  that  they  which  are  ap- 
proved may  be  made  manifest." 

Our  blessed  Lord,  in  his  intercessory  prayer,  shows 
the  importance,  unity  in  the  failh,  and  order  of  the 
Church. 

"Father,  I  have  manifested  thy  name  unto  the  men, 
which  tliou  gavest  me  out  of  the  world — and  they  have 
kept  thy  word — I  pray  for  them  also  which  shall  believe 
on  me  through  their  word:  that  they  all  may  be  One." 
And  how  kindly  but  impressively  does  the  loving  and 
beloved  John  speak  on  this  subject. 

"Beloved,  believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try  the  spirits 

whether  they  are  of  God.     "  For  many  false  prophets 

are  gone  out  into  the  world."     And  to  the  elect  Lady 

23* 


274  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

he  writes,  "  If  there  come  any  unto  you,  and  bring  not 
this  doctrine^  [the  doctrine  of  Christ,]  receive  him  not 
into  your  house,  neither  bid  him  God  speed."  Why 
this  injunction  to  a  benevolent  female?  Because  ''Many 
deceivers  are  entered  into  the  world,"  who  went  out 
from  us,  and  he  that  biddeth  a  deceiver  God  speed  "  is 
partaker  of  his  evil  deeds."  Jude  also  speaks  kindly 
but  impressively. 

"  Beloved,  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  deli- 
vered to  the  saints."  Why?  Because  "there  are 
certain  men  crept  in  unawares,  denying  the  only  Lord 
God,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

I  have  omitted  the  predictions  and  warnings  respect- 
ing tliat  tyrannical,  idolatrous,  and  intolerant  power 
Antichrist^  as  it  is  a  matter  yet  in  debate  between  Pa- 
pists and  Protestants,  whether  that  domination  is  to  be 
looked  for  in  or  out  of  the  Church.  But  the  following 
passages  will  show  how  the  head  of  the  Churchy  abhors 
false  doctiine.  "Thouhatest  the  deeds  of  the  Nico- 
laitanes,  which  I  also  hate."  "  I  know  the  blasphemy 
of  them  which  say  they  are  Jews  and  are  not,  but  are 
the  Synagouge  of  Satan."  "  I  have  a  few  things 
a^'-ainst  thee,  thou  hast  them  that  hold  the  doctrine  of 
Balaam — so  hast  thou  also  them  that  hold  the  doctrine 
of  the  Nicolaitanes,  which  thing  I  hate."  "  Thou  suf- 
ferest  that  woman  Jezebel,  which  callcth  herself  a 
prophetess,  to  teach  and  seduce  my  servants." 

Thus  it  is  evident  that  false  doctrine,  misdeeds,  false 
profession;  professing  one  thing  when  you  arc  another, 
and  lax  discipline,  are  highly  oifensive  to  Jesus  Christ. 

I  feel  now  prepared  to  say,  that,  i(  facts,  numerous, 
well  attested,  palpable,  and  undeniable — if  predictions 
and  zvarnings,  unequivocal— if  injunctions,  clear,  defi- 


THB  SANCTUARY  POLLUTED.  275 

nite,  solemn,  and  pointed — if  counsels,  kind,  authorita- 
tive and  persuasive,  be  sufficient  to  prove  anv  point  in 
debate,  then  it  is  clearly  shown  that  ministers  in  the 
church  of  God  and  God's  professing  people,  have,  from 
age  to  ii^e,  polluted  the  Sanctuary,  corrupted  the  word, 
institutions,  discipline,  and  worship  of  God's  house! 

It  seems  proper  here  to  saj,  that  all  the  sentiments, 
systems,  and  practices,  which  I  have  condemned,  are 
thus  sentenced  only  on  the  supposition  that  the  system 
which  I  have  embraced  is  true;  and  that  I  am  earnest 
in  my  profession  of  that  system.  For  if  the  doctrines, 
ordinances,  government,  and  discipline  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  be  unscriptural,  repugnant  to  the  doctrine 
and  order  of  the  church  of  Jesus  Christ,  then  the  tables 
q,re  turned  against  me,  and  I  am  heretical.  In  this 
discourse  I  have  assumed,  and  not  attempted  to  prove, 
the  truth  of  the  Presbyterian  system,  as  expressed  in 
the  standards  of  the  church.  At  the  same  time,  the 
conduct  of  men  can  never  be  justified,  who  profess  to 
believe  this  system  and  preach  another  gospel. 

I  trust  I  shall  not  exhaust  your  patience,  by  asking 
your  attention  to  some  closing  remarks. 

1.  Our  Lord,  and  his  prophets  and  apostles  consid- 
ered every  part  of  God's  revelation  as  important  and 
of  solemn  obligation. 

On  this  subject,  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  speak 
the  same  language.  "  Every  word  of  God  is  pure;  he 
is  a  shield  unto  them  that  put  their  trust  in  him — add 
thou  not  unto  his  words  lest  he  reprove  thee,  and  thou 
be  found  a  liar."     Prov.  xxx. 

"  I  testify  unto  every  man  that  heareth  the  words  of 
the  prophecy  of  this  book,  if  any  man  shall  add  unto 
these  things,  God  shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that 


276  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

are  written  in  this  book:  and  if  any  man  shall  take 
away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of  this  prophecy;  God 
shall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life,  and  out 
of  the  holy  city,  and  from  the  things  that  are  written 
in  this  book."  Rev.  xxii.  If  it  be  true  that  "man 
shall  not  live  by  bread  alone  but  by  every  word  of  God ;" 
if  "things  revealed  belong  to  us  and  our  children 
that  we  may  do  all  the  words  of  this  law;  if  "  the  law 
of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul" — "  the  tes- 
timony of  the  Lord  sure,  making  wise  the  simple" — 
"  the  statutes  of  the  Lord  right,  rejoicing  the  heart" — 
"  the  commandments  of  the  Lord  pure,  enlightening 
the  eyes" — and  "the  judgments  of  the  Lord  true  and 
righteous  altogether;"  then  it  may  be  confidently  said, 
that  the  popular  notion,  which  we  often  hear  from  tli^e 
pulpit,  that  some  revealed  and  inspired  truths  are  un- 
important and  non-essential  articles  of  faith,  must  be 
FALSE.  If  there  be  any  thing  clearly  a  matter  of  indif- 
ference, let  "  the  strong  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak, 
and  not  please  themselves;"  but  our  Lord  will  un- 
doubtedly frown  on  that  man  who  shall  "  break  one  of 
the  least  of  his  commandments,  and  teach  men  so  to  do." 
2*  Our  Lord  and  the  inspired  writers  never  gmn/ nor 
intimate  that  the  churchof  God  cannot  be  of  "one  mind 
and  one  judgment."  They  always  assume  the  fact  that 
God  has  spoken  nothing  in  vain,  and  that  his  revealed 
will  cannot  be  mutilated  nor  enlarged,  nor  wrested  nor 
denied,  nor  misinterpreted  with  impunity.  They  never 
tell  us  about  "the  facts  of  religion  being  one  thing  and 
the  philosophy  of  these  facts  another."  They  never 
talk  about  the  "large  space  of  debateable  ground  lying 
between  the  borders  of  orthodoxy  and  the  undefined 
limits  of  heresy."     But  they  evidently  teach  that  the 


THE  SANCTUARY  POLLUTED.  277 

smallest  departure  from  truth  is  error.  They  warn  us 
against  roorldly  wisdom^  vain  pJdlosophy^  heresy  and  divi- 
sions^ and  they  tell  us  of  deceitful  works.  They  tell  us 
that  "  all  Christ's  people  are  taught  of  God,"  and  "  if 
any  man  shall  do  his  will  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine," 
and  they  beseech  and  command  "all  who  in  every 
place  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  he  of  the 
same  mind — to  speak  the  same  things,  and  to  be  per- 
fectly joined  together  in  the  same  judgment."  They 
urge  the  church  to  unanimity  as  one  body,  and  fix  an 
indehblemark  of  disgrace  on  the  man  who  causes  divi- 
sions and  offences  contrary  to  the  doctrines  they  had 
taught.  Nay,  they  would  not  spare  even  an  angel 
from  Heaven,  if  he  preached  another  Gospel. 

Every  Christian,  and  especially  every  minister  ought 
to  say  to  the  Head  of  the  Church  as  David  did  to  Jeho- 
vah, "  Then  shall  I  not  be  ashamed  when  I  have  res- 
pect unto  all  thy  commandments."  Let  no  one  mistake 
me.  I  mean  not  to  affirm  that  a  person  must  know 
"all  that  has  been  written  by  inspiration  of  God"  be- 
fore he  can  be  saved,  or  before  he  is  fit  to  teach  others, 
as  far  as  he  has  learned  himself;  but  Avhat  1  affirm  is, 
that  whether  a  person  be  a  babe,  a  youth,  or  a  father 
in  Christ — whether  he  be  weak  or  strong  in  the  faith — 
such  is  his  simple  reliance  on  God's  word,  such  his  hu- 
mility, such  his  teachable,  childlike  disposition,  if  he 
be  united  to  Christ  and  led  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  grace 
and  truth,  that  so  far  as  he  docs  knozi^^  he  speaks  and 
acts  in  conformity  with  God's  revealed  will,  and  where 
he  does  not  know  he  has  sufficient  humility  and  candor 
to  confess  his  ignorance;  waiting  at  wisdom's  door,  in 
the  use  of  appointed  means,  that  he  may  grow  in  know■^ 
ledge  and  grace  more  and  more  to  a  perfect  stature, 


278  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 


3.  I  Ijeg  your  attention  to  the  responsibility  of  those 
who  are  set  apart  for  the  express  purpose  of  conduct- 
ing others  to  Heaven. 

"Faith  Cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word 
of  God."  "But  how  can  they  hear  without  a  preacher?" 

A  large  majority  of  the  human  family  are  in  such 
circumstances  that  if  ever  tliey  arrive  at  Heaven,  they 
must  be  guided  there  by  a  living  ministry  on  earth. 
Multitudes  cannot  read,  and  multitudes  more,  from  their 
abject  circumstances  and  servile  employments,  have  no 
time  allowed  them  to  search  the  Scriptures;  while 
many,  very  many,  who  can  read  and  might  have  time, 
are  so  little  cultivated,  possess  so  little  mental  disci- 
pline, they  cannot  distinguish  between  sophistry  and 
argument,  nor  discern  the  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing.  All 
these  multitudes  must  and  do  place  themselves  under 
some  man  or  set  of  men  as  their  scriptural  guides,  and 
they  who  lead  them  are  responsible  for  their  souls.  "  If 
a  man  desireth  the  office  of  a  bishop,  he  desireth  a  good 
work;"  but,  if  he  assume  this  office,  or  others  invest  him 
with  it,  while  he  is  destitute  of  the  qualifications  belong- 
ing to  the  office,  his  own  soul,  and  all  who  receive  him 
as  a  spiritual  guide,  are  put  in  jeopardy.  "  If  the  blind 
lead  the  b'lind,  they  both  fall  into  the  ditch."  The 
mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it. 

No  wonder  Moses,  and  Isaiah,  and  Jeremiah  shrunk 
from  the  responsible  stations  assigned  them.  No  won- 
der Paul  cried  out  in  view  of  responsibility,  "  who  is 
sufficient  for  these  things?"  and  so  often  said,  "breth- 
ren, pray  for  us." 

4.  The  true  ministers  of  Christ  must  not  be  discou- 
raged when  false  teachers  are  numerous  and  popular. 

When  the  magicians  with  their  enchantments  were 


I 


THE  SANCTUARY  POLLUTED.  279 

numerous  and  popular  at  the  court  of  Pharaoh,  Moses 
and  Aaron  stood  firm,  and  left  the  time  and  manner  of 
"  truth's  triumph"  to  the  God  of  Israel.  When  the  false 
prophets  vrere  more  than  eight  hundred  to  one,  Elijah 
put  them  to  a  test  which  proved  their  overthrow.  And 
when  Paul  had  perils  among  false  brethren;  when 
those  turned  against  him  who  once  would  have  plucked 
out  their  own  eyes  for  his  sake;  when  ail  Asia  forsook 
him;  and  no  man  stood  with  him  at  his  first  answer  be- 
fore Nero;  none  of  these  things  moved  him.  He  could 
say,  "the  Lord  stood  with  me,  and  strengthened  me, 
that  by  me  the  preaching  might  be  fully  known,  and 
that  all  the  Gentiles  might  hear.  And  the  Lord 
shall  deliver  me  from  every  evil  work,  and  will  pre- 
serve me  unto  his  heavenly  kingdom,  to  whom  be 
glory  for  ever  and  ever." 

Let  no  man  who  is  sound  in  the  faith  and  apt  to  teach 
be  discouraged  when  false  teachers  are  multiplied,  nor 
when  they  are  surrounded  and  applauded  by  gaping 
crowds  of  men  of  corrupt  minds.  But  let  them  watch 
and  pray,  and  teach,  and  warn,  night  and  day,  with 
tears. 

6.  Seeing  there  is  but  one  true  7-eligion,hut o'sb right 
way^  but  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism;  and  as  it  is 
true  that  there  are  many  deceivers,  who  shall  deceive 
:iany;  you  are  ready  to  ask  me  with  deep  emotion  and 
solemn  interest,  what  shall  we  do?  One  answer  is 
given  to  all.  "  Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all  thy  heart  and 
lean  not  to  thine  own  understanding.  In  all  thy  ways 
acknowledge  him,  and  he  shall  direct  thy  paths." 
"Be  not  wise  in  thine  own  eyes;  fear  the  Lord  and 
depart  from  eviP" — it  shall  be  the  life,  and  health,  and 
strength  of  thy  soul.     Prov.  iii. 


280  ORIGINAL    SER3IONS. 

In  addition  to  this  general  answer,  I  say,  to  you 
who  cannot  investigate  for  yourselves,  you  must  either 
neglect  religion  and  perish,  or  you  must  put  yourselves 
under  the  direction  and  become  the  companions  of 
those  whom  you  believe  to  be  the  ministers  and  people 
of  the  Most  High  God. 

Look!  O  earnestly  look  to  God  for  direction;  for  if 
you  are  taught,  like  the  centurion,  by  a  Peter,  who  will 
tell  you  words  by  which  you  and  your  house  may  be 
saved;  or,  like  the  eunuch,  by  a  Philip,  who  will  preach 
Jesus;  or,  like  Lydia,  by  a  Paul,  who  will  glory  in 
nothing  but  the  cross  of  Christ;  you  are  safe.  Go  on 
your  way  rejoicing;  but  if  you  misplace  your  confidence, 
if  you  choose  blind  guides,  you  are  ruined,  lost  forever. 

To  them  who  can  examine  for  themselves  I  say, 
"Search  the  Scriptures,"  in  prayer,  in  simple  depen- 
dence on  heavenly  wisdom.  Interpret  scripture  by 
scripture,  and  not  by  art  and  man's  device.  "And 
when  they  shall  say  unto  you,  seek  unto  them  that  have 
familiar  spirits,  false  teachers,  should  not  a  people  seek 
unto  their  God?  To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony:  if 
they  speak  not  according  to  this  v»  ord,  it  is  because 
there  is  no  light  in  them.*'     Isa.  viii. 

To  such  as  bear  rule  in  God's  house  I  say,  "Try 
the  spirits,  whether  they  be  of  God."  If  any  profess 
not  to  walk  with  us,  not  to  belong  to  our  denomination, 
"Let  them  alone."  If  they  do  good,  hinder  them  not; 
but  rejoice.  If  they  do  evil,  be  not  partakers.  To 
their  own  Master  they  stand  or  fall.  They  have  made 
their  election;  so  have  you.  Your  choice  is  made  for 
eternity;  and  the  judgment  day  will  disclose  the  right 
and  the  wrong.  Every  sect  must  abide  by  their  own 
choice. 


THE  SANCTUARY  POLLUTED.  281 

If  any  profess  to  walk  with  us,  if  thej  say  they  are 
Presbyterians,  belonging  to  or  under  the  care  of  the 
Gen.  Assembly,  and  cause  divisions  and  contentions  by 
departing  from  our  standards,  forsaking  our  institutions; 
and  deceiving  and  unsettling  the  hearts  of  the  simple 
and  unwary;  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  mark  them  as 
false  brethren,  and  avoid  them.  Tliis  you  can  do. 
This  is  the  least  you  ought  to  do  when  you  have  not 
official  strength  to  inflict  upon  them  deserved  rebuke 
or  merited  suspension. 

I  feel  that  I  stand  before  you  in  solemn  and  trying 
circumstances.  If  I  am  true  and  faithful,  and  you 
neglect  the  great  salvation,  I  shall  save  my  own  soul; 
but  you  must  perish.  If  I  am  a  blind  guide,  and  you 
are  led  by  my  false  counsel,  we  must  perish  together. 
Such  is  the  state  of  the  Presbyterian  church  now^  that 
no  man  can  be  indifferent,  no  tongue  can  be  silent,  no 
hand  idle.  It  remains  yet  to  be  seen  whether  we,  as 
the  polluted  sanctuary  of  God,  shall  be  cleansed^  or  whe- 
ther, when  the  sanctuary  is  cleansed,  we  shall  be  swept 
away  with  "  the  besom  of  destruction."     Solemn  thought ! 

In  our  context  Jehovah  says,  "  My  determination  is 
to  gather  the  nations,  that  I  may  assemble  the  king- 
doms, to  pour  upon  them  my  indignation,  even  all  my 
fierce  anger;  for  all  the  earth  shall  be  devoured  with 
the  fire  of  my  jealousy.  For  then  will  I  turn  the  peo- 
ple to  a  pure  language,  that  they  may  all  call  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  and  serve  him  with  oxe  consent." 
Happy  unanimity.  But  who  can  bear  the  "fire  of  his 
jealousy?"  "whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  will 
thoroughly  purge  his  floor,  and  gather  his  wheat  into 
the  garner,  but  he  will  hum  up  the  chaff  with  unquench- 


able FIRE." 


24: 


SERMON    XVI. 

BY    THE    REV.    JOSHUA   L.  WILSON,    D.    D. 

THE  SANCTUARY    CLEANSED. 

And  he  said  unto  me,  'Unto  two  thousand  and  three  hundred  days;  then 
shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed.'*  Dx^x.  viii.  14. 

Daniel,  one  of  the  Lord's  prophets,  saw  clearly  and 
greatly  lamented  the  pollutions  of  the  sanctuary.  The 
desolations  of  Jerusalem,  the  destruction  of  the  temple, 
and  the  captivity  of  the  Lord's  people  were  ever 
present  to  his  thoughts,  as  the  dreadful  effects  of  cor- 
rupting the  worship  of  God,  and  presented  he  fore  him 
a  dark  emblem  of  long  desolations,  in  after  ages,  when 
the  "holy  city  should  be  trodden  mider  foot  of  the 
Gentiles,  forty  and  two  prophetic  months."!  The 
calamities  then  endured  and  those  disclosed  to  him  in 
the  visions  of  God,  were  subjects  of  his  solemn  medita- 
tion, anxious  inquiry,  deep  humihation,  and  fervent 
prayers. 

His  investigations  were  not  in  vain;  his  prayers  were 
not  unanswered.  And  when  he  discovered  '  by  books,' 
that  the  end  of  the  Babylonish  captivity  was  near,  he 
was  consoled,  in  relation  to  distant  events,  around  which 
prophecy  had  cast  her  mysterious  mantle,  by  the  kind 
assurance  that  he  should  rest  and  stand  in  his  "  lot  at 
the  end  of  those  days."     Dan.  ix.  2,  3;  xii.  13. 

*  For  the  import  of  the  term  sanctuary,  and  its  pollutions,  see  the  forego- 
ing discourse. 

t  Rev.  xi.  2,  3 ;  xiii.  5,  7.     1260  years. 


THE    SANCTUARY     CLEANSED.  283 

That  the  sanctuary  means  the  church  of  God,  or 
visihle  kingdom  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  on  earth; 
that  the  church  has  heen  greatly  corrupted  in  all  ages, 
by  her  own  professed  ministers  and  members;  and  that 
her  purification  will  take  place  at  the  time  appointed 
by  Jehovah,  are  not  now  matters  of  discussion.  The 
text  places  before  us  plainly  two  subjects  of  inquiry. 

I.  What  is  implied  in  the  declaration,  "then  shall 
the  sanctuary  be  cleansed?" 

II.  When  shall  this  cleansing  be  accomplished? 

I.  What  is  imphed  in  the  declaration,  "  then  shall 
the  sanctuary  be  cleansed? 

The  inspired  writers  have  cherished  in  the  bosom  of 
the  church  an  expectation,  that  at  some  period,  remote 
from  their  times,  she  shall  enjoy  a  seiison  of  transcen- 
dent purity,  peace,  and  prosperity  on  earth. 

Solomon,  in  his  Song  of  Songs,  makes  this  beautiful 
and  sublime  inquiry  concerning  the  church, — "Who  is 
she  that  looketh  forth  as  the  morning,  fair  as  the  moon, 
clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners?" 
Cant.  vi.  10.      And  David  had  said  before,  speaking  of 
Messiah's  kingdom,  "There  shall  be  a  handful  of  corn 
in  the  earth,  upon  the  top  of  the  mountains,  the  fruit 
thereof  shall  shake  like  Lebanon:  and  they  of  the  city 
shall   flourish  like  grass  of  the  earth;  his  name  shall 
endure  forever;  his  name  shall  be  continued  as  long  as 
the  sun:  and  men  shall  be  blessed  in  him;  all  nations 
shall  call  him  blessed."     Ps.  Ixxii.  16,  17. 

The  prophet  Isaiah  closes  a  touching  description  of 
the  triumphs  of  the  church,  with  this  remarkable  decla- 
ration: "Moreover,  the  light  of  the  moon  shall  be  as 
the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  shall  be 
sevenfold,  as  the  light  of  seven  days,  in  the  day  that  the 


284  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

Lord  Lindeth  up  the  breach  of  his  people,  and  healetJi 
the  stroke  of  their  wound."     Isa.  xxx.  26. 

And  again,  speaking  of  the  villany^  and  iniquity^  and 
hypocrisy^  and  "error  against  the  Lord,"  which  had 
caused  the  land  to  be  overrun  with  thorns  and  briers, 
and  the  palaces  to  be  forsaken,  he  declared  that  this 
state  of  things  should  continue  "until  the  Spirit  be 
poured  upon  us  from  on  high,  and  the  wilderness  be  a 
fruitful  field,  and  the  fruitful  field  be  counted  for  a 
forest;  then  judgment  shall  dwell  in  the  wilderness, 
and  righteousness  remain  in  the  fruitful  field.  And  the 
work  of  righteousness  shall  be  peace,  and  the  effect  of 
righteousness  quietness  and  assurance  forever."  Isa. 
xxxii.  15, 16, 17.  And  when  it  is  foretold  that  venom- 
ous animals  shall  become  harmless,  and  domestic  cattle 
lie  down  in  safety  with  beasts  of  prey,  the  delightful 
picture  o^ peace  receives  the  finishing  touch  of  the  divine 
pencil  with  this  inimitable  delineation:  "They  shall 
not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  my  holy  mountain;  for  the 
eaiih  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the 
waters  cover  the  sea."  Isa.  xi.  9.  And  the  Lord  said 
by  the  prophet  Malachi,  "From  the  rising  of  the  sun 
even  to  the  going  down  of  the  same,  my  name  shall  be 
great  among  the  Gentiles;  and  in  every  place  incense 
shall  be  offered  unto  my  name,  and  a  pure  offering:  for 
my  name  shall  be  great  among  the  heathen;  saith  the 
Lord  of  Hosts."     Mai.  i.  11. 

We  are  also  tauglit  to  expect  this  time  of  blessedness, 
in  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord,  after  the  cleansing  of  the 
sanctuary.  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream,  embracing  the 
existence,  duration,  and  destruction  of  a  great,  bright, 
and  terrible  image,  commenced  with  the  head  of  gold, 
and  ended  with  the  stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain,  with- 


THE    SANCTUARY    CLEANSED.  285 

out  hands,  which  became  a  great  mountain,  and  filled 
the  whole  earth — meaning  a  kingdom  set  up  hj  the 
God  of  heaven,  which  should  triumph  over  all  opposi- 
tion, and  stand  forever.  Dan.  ii.  Daniel's  vision  of 
the  four  beasts  and  little  horn  ends  in  the  people  of  the 
saints  of  the  Most  High  possessing  this  kingdom.  Dan. 
vii.  27.  His  vision  of  '"the  scripture  of  truth," 
including  the  overthrow  of  Persia,  Greece,  Egypt,  and 
Syria,  and  the  hopeless,  helpless  end  of  the  ^'wilful 
king,'^ — explained  by  some  to  mean  Napoleon,  ends  in 
the  time  of  blessedness.  [See  Coopers  Crisis,  and 
Dan.  X.  21;  xi.  36 — 45;  xii.  12.] 

The  vision  of  the  ram  and  he-goat  ends  in  the 
cleansing  of  the  Sanctuary.  Dan.  vili.  All  these  visions 
direct  the  eye  of  faith  down  through  the  vista  of  time, 
to  one  happy,  grand,  and  glorious  result — '•  The  con- 
version OF  the  world." 

The  prophecies  of  Ezekiel  respecting  the  judgments 
of  God  upon  Gog,  terminate  in  this  consolation:  "Nei- 
ther will  I  hide  my  face  any  more  from  them ;  for  I 
have  poured  out  my  spirit  upon  the  house  of  Israel, 
saith  the  Lord  God."     Eze.  xxxix.  29. 

Joel  finishes  his  description  of  the  return  of  the 
Je^s  and  the  gathering  of  all  nations,  with  this  inte- 
resting assurance:  ''So  shall  ye  know  that  I  am  the 
Lord  j-our  God,  dwelling  in  Zion,  my  holy  mountain; 
then  shall  Jerusalem  be  holy,  and  there  shall  no  stran- 
gers pass  through  her  any  m.ore."  Joel  iii.  IT.  And 
Zechariah  closes  his  prediction  of  God's  judgments 
upon  them,  who  oppose  his  people,  with  this  cheering 
assurance:  '-In  that  day  there  shall  be  upon  the  bells 
of  the  horses.  Holiness  unto  the  Lord,  and  the  pots 

in  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  like  the  bowls  before  the 

24=^ 


286  ORIGINAL  SER3I0NS. 

altar.  Yea,  every  pot  in  Jerusalem  and  Judah  shall 
be  holiness  unto  the  Lord  of  Hosts ^  and  in  that  day  there 
shall  he  no  more  the  Canaanitc  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord  of  Hosts."     Zech.  xiv.  20,  21. 

That  this  period  of  predicted  glory  to  the  church,  is 
yet  future;  that  many  believe  it  will  never  come;   that 
the  sanctuary  was  greatly  polluted  in  the  days  of  the 
prophets,  of  Christ,  and  of  his  apostles;  that  corruptions 
have  been  multiplied  and  greatly  increased,  by  the 
"Mystery  of  iniquity,"   wdiich  then  began   to    work, 
(2  Tim.  ii.  7.;)  and  that  "errors  against  the  Lord"'''    are 
rapidly  spreading  at  the  present  hour;  are  facts  unde- 
nied  and  undeniable.     But  what  said  the  second  Eli- 
jah   concerning   him    wlio    must    increase,    until    his 
dominion  shall  be  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth?"     John  iii.  30;  Zech.  Ix.  10. 
"He  that  cometh  after  me  is  mightier  than  I;  whose 
fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  will  thoroughly  purge  his 
floor,  and  gather  his  wheat  into  the  garner;  but  he  will 
burn  up  the  chaff  with  unquenchable  fire."     Mat.  iii. 
11,  12.     And  what  said  the  Master  himself?     "The 
Son  of  Man  shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and  they  shall 
gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend,  and 
them  v/hich  do  iniquity;  and  shall  cast  them  into  a  fur- 
nace of  lire;  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of 
teeth.     Then  shall  the  righteo'us  shine  forth  as  the  sun 
in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father.     Who  hath  ears  to 
hear  let  him  hear."     Mat.  xiii.  41, 42, 43.     This  means, 
as  Christ  tells  us,  "the  end  of  the  world,"  and  no  doubt 
includes  the  grand  and  public  separation  of  the  wicked 
from  the  righteous,  at  the  day  of  Judgment;  yet  it  cer- 
tainly does  not  exclude  that  predicted  purifying  process 
by  which  the   church  shall  gain  a  righteous  triumph 


THE    SANCTUARY     CLEANSED.  287 

over  the  wh<>]e  earth:  and  it  affords  W5  a  clue,  by  which 
we  may  arrive  at  a  correct  solution  of  the  question 
before  us.  I  say  then,  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary 
means  the  removal,  from  Christ's  kingdom,  of  all  things 
that  offend.  I  am  not  here  speaking  of  the  conversion 
of  the  Jews,  nor  of  the  '-fulness  of  the  Gentiles,"  nor 
of  the  destruction  of  Mahometans,  nor  of  the  ruin  of 
infidels.  I  am  speaking  of  the  purification  of  the  visi- 
ble church  of  God;  of  those,  and  those  onli/^  who  in 
some  way  belong  to  that  great  visible,  mixed,  diversi- 
fied society,  denominated  Christian — the  Christian 
world — the  chu^xh  catholic.  This  is  the  sanctuary  pol- 
luted* This  must  be  cleansed  before  the  day  of 
blesssedness. 

1.  The  Ministry  must  be  purified. 

The  ministers  of  religion  have  been  the  first  and 
most  efiicient  agents  in  corrupting  the  church:  and  they 
must  be  the  first  subjects  of  reformation.  Jeliovah  of 
hosts  said  hj  his  servant  Malachi,  ''Tlie  Lord  shall 
suddenly  come  to  his  temple!  But  who  may  abide  the 
day  of  his  coming?  and  who  shall  stand  when  he  ap- 
peareth?  for  he  is  like  a  refiner's  fire,  and  like  fuller's 
soap.  And  he  shall  sit  as  a  refiner  and  purifier  of 
silver:  and  he  shaW purifi/  the  sons  of  LE^-I,'* — the  ap- 
pointed ministers  of  the  sanctuary;  ''and  purge  them,  as 
gold  and  silver,  that  the}"  may  offer  unto  the  Lord  an  of- 
fering in  righteousness."  Mai.  iii.  1 — 3.  [See  Pool 
and  Scott  on  this  passage.]  This  fiery  trial  shall  burn  up 
those  who  corrupt  the  word  and  worship  of  God,  and 
thoroughly  purify  such  as  are  called  of  God  to  minister 
immediately  in  the  services  of  the  Christian  church. 
The}'  shall  be  vessels  of  honor,  purified  indeed  for  holy 
employments,  offering  '•  unto  the  Lord  an  oflfering  in 


288  OniGINAL  SKRMONS. 

righteousness;  who  can  say  in  truth,  "We  are  not  as 
MANY  who  corrupt  the  word  of  God;  hut  as  of  sincerity, 
but  as  of  God,  speak  we  in  Christ."  2  Cor.  ii.  17. 
No  doubt  there  have  been  some  "good  men  and  /ntc," 
in  every  period  of  the  church.  But  the  number  has 
hitherto  been  small,  compared  with  the  "many  who 
corrupt  the  word  of  God."  If  the  church  was  preserved 
by  the  salt  and  directed  by  the  light  of  grace,  when  she 
had  but  ONE  true  prophet^  and  'only  seven  thousand  true 
worshippers^  what  will  be  her  increase  and  blessedness 
when  her  multiplied  ministers  shall  all  offer  instruction, 
prayer,  praise,  and  alms,  in  truth,  purity,  righteousness, 
and  peace?  Then  shall  be  fulfilled  that  which  was 
spoken  by  Isaiah,  "  And  they  shall  build  the  old  wastes, 

they  shall  raise  up  the  former  desolations. Ye 

shall  be  named  the  priests  of  the  Lord,  men  shall  call 
you  the  niinisters  of  our  God."     Isa.  Ixi.  4 — 6. 

Then  shall  be  sung  in  Zion,  this  song;  "We  will  go 
into  his  tabernacles;  we  will  worship  at  his  footstool. 
Arise,  O  Lord,  into  thy  rest;  thou,,  and  the  ark  of  thy 
strength;  let  thy  priests  be  clothed  with  righteousness, 
and  let  thy  saints  shout  for  joy."     Ps.  cxxxii.  7 — 9. 

As  the  zcorcls  of  the  fure  arc  pleasant^  and  when  fitly 
spoken,  are  like  apples  of  gold  in  pictures  of  silver,  we 
may  confidently  expect  that,  in  the  cleansing  of  the 
sanctuary,  the  Lord  will  fulfil  to  his  Church  that  which 
he  promised  by  his  servant  Zephaniah:  "I  will  turn  to 
the  people  a  pure  language,  that  they  may  all  call  upon 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  serve  him  with  one  consent." 
Zeph.  iii.  9.  What  a  delightful  and  splendid  exhibi- 
tion shall  be  made  in  the  sanctuary  when  "a  live  coal 
from  the  altar"  shall  be  laid  upon  every  mouth,  and  it 
shall  be  said  to  every  minister  of  reconciliation,  "Lo, 


THE    SANCTUARY     CLEANSED.  289 

this  hath  touched  thy  Hps;  and  thine  iniquity  is  taken 
away,  and  thy  sin  is  purged!"  Is.  vi.  6,  7.  Zion's 
watchmen  shall  no  longer  be  hlind^  nor  dumb,  nor 
greedy;  no  shepherds  shall  remain  in  her  that  cannot 
understand.  Their  feet  shall  be  beautiful  upon  the 
mountains,  because  they  publish  salvation.  They  shall 
lift  up  the  voice;  with  the  voice  together  shall  they  sing; 
for  they  shall  see  eye  to  eye,  when  the  Lord  shall 
bring  again  Zion."  Is.  Ivi.  10,  II.  Com.  ch.  lii.  7,  8. 
As  every  vessel  in  the  Lord's  house  and  every  pot  in 
Jerusalem  and  Judah  shall  be  holy,  (Zech.  xiv.  20,  21,) 
so  all  who  minister  in  holy  things  shall  be  holy — "  a 
holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,  accepta- 
ble to  God  by  Jesus  Christ.     1  Pet.  ii.  5. 

2.  The  Church  shall  be  purified  in  her  Arti- 
cles OP  Faith. 

When  the  sons  of  Levi  are  purified,  all  radical  errors 
must  be  blotted  out  from  church  creeds.  When  there 
is  one  Lord  and  his  name  One,  acknowledged  and  obey- 
ed by  all  who  "  minister  and  seiDc  the  altar^''  there 
must  be  one  system  of  faith  and  one  mode  of  Christian 
administration.  Where  this  "  one  faitK^  is  now  to  be 
found  among  church  creeds  which  shall  stand  the  fiery 
trial  of  purgation,  and  bo  subject  to  the  fewest  razures, 
it  is  not  my  prerogative  to  decide.  I  have  identified 
my  name  and  interests  with  a  defined  and  published 
system,  by  which  I  must  stand  or  fall.  I  feel  confident 
that  if  I  have  embraced  and  taught  a  system  not  sus- 
tained by  the  word  of  God,  I  am  utterly  undone.  Until 
I  can  see  a  better  way,  I  must  honestly  pursue  that  which 
I  have  chosen,  should  it  land  me  in  perdition.  I  know 
"there  is  a  way  which  seemeth  right  unto  a  man,  but 
the  end  thereof  is  the  ways  of  death."     Prov.  xiv.  12, 


290 


ORIGINAL   SERMONS. 


xvi.  25.  And  I  know  also  that  a  system  given  by  "in- 
spiration of  God,"  to  which  none  can  add,  from  which 
none  can  take  away,  with  impunity — a  system  made 
-profilahh  for  doctrine,  reproof,  correction,  and  instruc- 
tion in  righteousness — a  system  designed  by  infmite 
wisdom  to  make  the  man  of  God  perfect,  thoroughly 
furnished  unto  all  good  works,  cannot  possibly  contain 
adverse  schemes  of  doctrine  and  contrarieties  in  modes 
of  worship,  ordinances,  and  discipline.  Men  may  call 
it  liberality,  or  charity,  or  what  name  they  please,  to 
suppose  that  all  doctrinal  theories  and  practical  admin- 
istrations under  the  Christian  name,  are  alike  safe,  pro- 
vided their  votaries  be  sincere;  but,  in  the  end,  they 
will  find  multitudes  destroyed  by  deriving  hope  from 
felse  systems  and  vain  theories.  Can  it  be  possible  that 
Protestants  and  Papists,  Trinitarians  and  Unitarians, 
all  varieties  of  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists, 
High  and  Low  Churchmen  and  Episcopalians,  all  kinds 
of  Methodists  and  the  endless  grades  of  Baptists,  can  all 
stand,  when  the  sanctuary  shall  be  cleansed?  Without 
stopping  now  to  name  hundreds  of  sects,  whose  systems 
are  more  absurd,  and  some  of  them  more  impious,  than 
any  I  have  mentioned,  I  ask  emphatically  can  any  two 
of  the  whole  number  stand,  when  "  every  thing  that 
offends"  shall  be  removed  from  the  sanctuary?  particu- 
larly when  a  corrupt  ministry  and  all  false  creeds  are 
utterly  destroyed?  No,  no!  is  the  only  consistent  an- 
swer to  this  question.  How  solemn  is  the  thought  that 
He  whose  yau  is  in  his  hands  "  will  thoroughly  purge  his 
floor!" 

3.    Every  church  3iember  will  know,  love,  and 
obey  the  truth. 

When  the  Sanctuary   is  cleansed,  the  ministry  of 


THE  SANCTUARY  CLEANSED.  291 

reconciliation  being  all  "pastors  after  God's  own 
heart,"  all  feeding  his  flock  with  knowledge  and  under- 
standing— all  feilse  articles  of  faith  being  expunged, 
and  all  erroneous  modes  of  worship  abandoned — a  cor- 
responding improvement  must  take  place  in  the  visible 
holiness  of  Zion's  citizens.  It  is  written,  "  I  will  make 
thy  ofiicers  peace,  and  thine  exactors  righteousness. 
Violence  shall  no  more  be  heard  in  thy  land,  wasting 
nor  destruction  within  thy  borders;  but  thou  shalt  call 

thy  walls  salvation  and  thy  gates  praise Thy  people 

also  shall  be  all  righteous, ''''^^  Our  attention  is  called  to 
this  delightful  prospect  by  a  prefatory  announcement, 
no  less  cheering.  "The  Redeemer  shall  come  to  Zion, 
and  to  them  that  turn  from  transgression  in  Jacob,  saith 
the  Lord.  As  for  me,  this  is  my  covenant  v»dth  them, 
saith  the  Lord ;  my  Spirit  which  is  upon  thee  and  my 
words  which  I  have  put  in  thy  mouth,  shall  not  depart 
out  of  thy  mouth,  nor  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed;  nor 
out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed's  seed,  saith  the  Lord,  from 
henceforth  and  forever."  Isa.  lix.  20,  2L  And  the 
prediction  closes  with  this  divine  consolation — "  Thy 
people  shall  be  all  righteous;  they  shall  inherit  the  land 
forever,  the  'branch  of  my  planting,  the  work  of  biy 
HANDS,  that  I  MAY  BE  GLORIFIED.  A  little  One  shall 
become  a  thousand,  and  a  small  one  a  strong  nation: 
I  the  Lord  will  hasten  it  in  his  time."t     The  proof  texts 

*  Isa.  Ix.  17 — 22.  If  this  prediction  relates  to  the  restoration  of  the 
Jews  and  the  salvation  of  the  Gentiles;  still  it  proves  the  point  before  us, 
that  the  church  must  be  pure  and  peaceable,  greall}'  improved  in  practical 
piety,  when  the  Sanctuary  is  cleansed.  Read  the  60th  chapter  through 
and  see. 

t  Isa.  Ix.  21,  22.  Compare  chap.  iv.  and  lii.  1.  on  the  blessedness  of 
Christ's  kingdom.     There  will  then  be  no  dispute  about  who  does  the  work. 


292  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

on  this  animating  subject  are  numerous;  but  1  sball  ad- 
duce only  one  or  two  more.  Paul  tells  us  that  "  Christ 
loved  the  church  and  gave  himself  for  it,  that  he  might 
sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by 
the  word,  that  he  might  present  it  to  himself,  a  glorious 
church,  not  having  a  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such 
thing;  but  that  it  should  be  holy  and  without  blemish." 
Eph.  V.  25 — 27.  And  Peter  says,  to  the  church— 
"  Ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy 
nation^  a  peculiar  people,  that  ye  should  show  forth  the 
praises  of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into 
his  marvellou  s  light."  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  From  these  and 
similar  passages,  we  may  confidently  expect,  that,  when 
the  sanctuary  is  cleansed^  and  the  people  are  all  righteous^ 
and  all  knoio  the  Lord,  "  from  the  least  of  them  unto  the 
greatest  of  them"  the  church  will  do  whatsoever  she 
hath  "  learned  and  received,  and  heard,  and  seen"  by 
the  purified  ministry  of  reconciliation,  and  that  whatso- 
ever things  are  true,  honest,  just,  pure,  lovely,  and  of 
good  report,  will  be  themes  of  meditation,  topics  of  dis- 
course, and  matters  of  practice,  throughout  the  whole 
church."^ 

4.  Whilst  the  purifying  process  is  advancing,  and  shortly 
before  the  rvork  is  completed,  we  are  taught  to  expect  a  day 

OF  UNCOMMON  TROUBLE ! 

Before  Isaiah  was  permitted  to  dip  the  pencil  of 
peace  in  the  rainbow  of  mercy,  he  was  commanded  to 
brandish  the  forked  lightnings  and  hurl  the  thunders  of 
heaven.  "  None  calleth  for  justice  nor  pleadeth  for 
truth — they  hatch  cockatrice  eggs  and  weave  the  spi- 
ders webb — transgression  is  multiplied  in  lying  against 

*  Jer.  xxxi.  31—34.    Com.  Heb.  viii.  11.  and  Phil.  iv.  8,  9. 


THE  SANCTUARY  CLEAXSED.  293 

the  Lord  and  departing  from  our  God — we  stumble  at 
noon  day  as  in  the  night — we  roar  like  bears  and  mourn 
sore  like  doves — and  judgment  is  turned  away  back, 
and  justice  standeth  afar  off,  for  truth  is  fallen  in  the 
street  and  equity  cannot  enter,  and  he  that  departeth 
from  evil  maketh  himself  a  prey.  And  the  Lord  saw 
it,  and  it  displeased  him  that  there  was  no  judgment, 
and  he  saw  there  was  no  man  and  wondered  there  was 
no  intercessor;  therefore  his  arm  brought  salvation  unto 
him,  and  his  righteousness  it  sustained  him;  for  he  put 
on  righteousness  as  a  breastplate,  and  a  helmit  of  sal- 
vation upon  his  head;  and  he  put  on  the  garments  of 
VENGEANCE  fov  clothing,  and  was  clad  with  zeal  as  a 
cloak.  According  to  their  deeds,  accordingly  he  will 
repay,  fury  to  his  adversaries^  recojipense  to  his 
enemies.''''     Isa.  lix. 

"When  Jeremiah  was  led,  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  with 
joy  to  predict  the  latter  day  glory  of  Immanuel's  king- 
dom, he  was  required  also  to  perform  the  painful  duty 
of  declaring  the  righteous  judgments  of  God.  "And 
their  nobles  shall  be  of  themselves,  and  their  governor 
shall  proceed  from  the  midst  of  them  and  he  shall  ap- 
proach unto  me,  saith  the  Lord;  and  ye  shall  be  my 
people,  and  I  will  be  your  God."  But — "Behold! 
the  whirlwind  of  the  Lord  goeth  forth  with  fury^  a  con- 
tinued ^\lll^l.^\YSI>\ 'it  shall  fall  with  pain  upon  the  head 
of  the  wicked.  The  fierce  anger  of  the  Lord  shall  not 
return  until  he  have  done  it,  and  until  he  have  per- 
formed the  intents  of  his  heart:  in  the  latter  days  ye 
shall  consider  it."     Jer.  xxx. 

Zechariah  has  declared  that  in  the  period  of  the 
church's  prosperity,  "  The  Lord  shall  be  king  over  all 

•25 


294  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

the  earth.  In  that  day  there  shall  he  one  Lord  and  his 
name  one."  But  in  the  same  hreath  he  denounced 
the  judgments  of  God,  and  predicted  a  da}'  of  unprece- 
dented trouble.  "And  this  shall  be  the  plague  where- 
with the  Lord  will  smite  all  the  people,  tliat  have  fought 
against  Jerusalem — their  flesh  shall  consume  away 
while  they  stand  upon  their  feet,  and  their  eyes  shall 
consume  away  in  their  holes,  and  their  tongue  shall 
consume  away  in  their  mouth.  And  it  shall  come  to 
pass  in  that  day^  that  a  great  tumult  from  the  Lord  shall 
be  among  them."     Zech.  xiv. 

When  Malachi  foretold  the  purification  of  the  ministry 
and  the  pleasant  offering  of  God's  people  "  in  righteous- 
ness," he  recorded  also  Jehovah's  declaration  of  judg- 
ment. "  And  I  will  come  near  to  you  to  judgment;  and 
I  will  be  a  swift  witness  against  the  sorceress  and  against 
the  adulteress,  and  against  false  swearers,  and  against 
those  that  oppress  the  hireling  in  his  wages,  the  widow, 
and  the  fatherless,  and  that  turn  away  the  stranger  from 
his  right,  and  fear  not  me,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts." 
"  For  behold,  the  day  cometh  that  shall  burn  as  an 
oven;  and  all  the  proud,  yea,  and  all  that  do  wickedly 
shall  be  as  stubble,  and  the  day  that  cometh  shall  burn 
them  up,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  that  it  shall  leave  them 
neither  root  nor  branch."     Mai.  iii.  5.  iv.  L 

Our  blessed  Lord  having  predicted  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem  and  the  dispersion  of  the  Jews  among  all 
nations,  (Luke  xxi.  20 — 24,)  carried  the  minds  of  his 
disciples  forward  to  a  day  of  his  "pozucr  and  great 
GLORY."  In  this  connexion  he  told  them  of  "  distress 
of  nations"  upon  the  earth,  "  with  perplexity,  the  sea 
and  the  waves  roaring,  men's  hearts  failing  them  for 


THE  SANCTUARY  CLEANSED.  295 

fear,  for  the  powers  of  heaven  shall  be  shaken;"  and  he 
added, ''  Verily  I  saj  unto  you,  this  generation  shall  not 
pass  away  till  all  be  fulfilled."* 

The  progeny  or  race  of  the  Jews  has  been  so  won- 
derfully preserved — ihey  have  not  passed  away^  notwith- 
standing their  dispersion  has  continued  for  nearly 
eighteen  hundred  years.  We  believe  that  ••  Heaven 
and  earth  sliall  pass  away;  but  Christ's  words  shall  not 
pass  away." 

Since  the  destruction  of  the  old  world  by  water, 
great  calamities  have  taken  place,  dreadful  evils  have 
been  endured.  They  have  been  occasioned  by  wars, 
famines,  earthquakes,  pestilences,  and  a  few  signal, 
supernatural  displays  of  divine  vengeance.  But  all 
these  have  been  local,  partial,  and  circumscribed,  in 
com.parison  of  the  distresses  which  are  predicted  in  con- 
nexion vdth  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary.  These 
will  be  unparalleled  in  extent  and  diversity,  but  short 
in  duration. 

"  Many  shall  be  purified,  and  made  white,  and  tried, 
but  the  wicked  shall  do  wickedly:  and  none  of  the 
wicked  shall  understand;  but  the  wise  shall  under- 
stand." "  Who  is  wise  and  he  shall  understand  these 
things?  prudent,  and  he  shall  know  them?  for  the  ways 
of  the  Lord  are  right,  and  the  just  shall  walk  in  them: 
But  the  transgressors  shall  fall  therein."  Dan.  xii.  1. 
10.  and  Hosea  xiv.  9.     I  no^-  proceed  to  enquire — 

II.      When  shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed? 

The  time  is  specified  in  our  text.  "  And  he  said  unto 
me  until  two  thousand  and  three  hundred  days,  then  shall 
the  sanctuary  be  cleansed. 

*  Luke  xxi.  25 — 33.     Generation — Gr.  genea;  Lat.  progenies;  Eng* 
progeny,  or  race. 


296  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

In  an  attempt  to  ascertain  the  beginning  and  end  of 
these  prophetic  cIgt/s,  it  is  necessary  to  make  a  prophetic 
computation,  counting  "  a  day  for  a  year."     Ezek.  iv. 
6.     The  period,  then,  is  2300  Jewish  years,  each  year 
containing  3G0  natural  days,  and  of  course  the  conclu- 
sion of  the  calculation  will  differ  from  our  dates  just  as 
much  as  the  Scripture  date  differs  from  the  common  or 
vulgar  chronology.     Besides  this  long  period  of  2300 
years,  the  visions  of  Daniel  disclose  two  other  periods 
of  time,  which  are  very  remarkable.     "  Seventy  weeks" 
or  490  years,  (Dan.  ix.  24.)  and  "a  time  and  times 
and  the  dividing  of  time,"  (Dan.  vii.  25,)    or  1260 
3-ears.     One  week  is  7  days,  and  70  weeks  are  7  times 
70    days,  make  490  days  or  years.       "A  time,   and 
times  and  half  a  tiD:ie,"  or  "the  dividing  of  time"  is   a 
period  of  "  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  three  score 
days,"  that  is,  1250  years.     Rev.  xii.  compare  the  6th 
and  14th  verses.         This  period  is  also  called  "  forty 
and  two  months."     Com.  Dan.  xii.  7,  with  Rev.  xii.  2. 
Forty  two  months  of  thirty  days  each,  Jewish  time,  are 
42  times  30 — 1260  Jewish  years.     These  two  shorter 
periods  of  "  seventy  weeks"  (490  years)  and  "  a  time 
and  times  and  the  dividing  of  time,"  (1260  years,)  are, 
as  I  shall  show,  comprehended  in  the  long  period  of 
"  two  thousand  and  tlu-ee  hundred  days"  (years.)    The 
"  seventy  weeks"  being  the  beginning,  and  the  "  time, 
times  and  a  half,"  the  end,  leaving  a  middle  period  of 
550  years  from  the  end  of  the  70  weeks,  till  the  begin- 
ning of  the  forty-two  months — that  is,  as  I  understand 
it,  from  the  time  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  till  the 
commencement  of  the  reign  of  Antichrist.     If  this  be 
correct,  the   downfall  of  Antichrist  will  be  complete 
when  the  sanctuary  is  cleansed. 


THE  SANCTUARY  CLEAKSED.  297 

Having  thus  premised,  or  given  my  method  of  compu- 
tation, I  undertake  to  show — That  Daniel's  "  70  weeks" 
is  the  beginning  or  first  part  of  the  "  2300  days,"  al- 
lotted for  cleansing  the  sanctuary;  that  Daniel's  "  time, 
times,  and  a  half*'  is  the  last  or  concluding  part  of  the 
"2300  days;"  that  the  "70  weeks"  commenced  453 
years  before  the  birth  of  Christ  and  ended  in  A.  D.  37; 
that  the  "  time,  times,  and  dividing  of  time"  or  1260 
years  began  in  A.  D.  587  and  shall  end  with  the  ter- 
mination of  the  "  2300  davs"  or  years,  in  1847.* 

When  the  angel  Gabriel  explained  this  vision  to 
Daniel,  he  gave  the  following  statement.  "  Seventy 
weeks  are  determined  upon  thy  people  and  upon  thy 
holy  city,  to  finisli  the  transgression  and  make  an  end 
of  sins,  and  to  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  to 
bring  in  everlasting  righteousness,  and  to  seal  up  the 
vision  and  prophecy,  and  to  annoint  the  Most  Holy." 
Dan.  ix.  21.  Whatever  difficulty  any  may  have  found 
in  explaining  this  verse,  all  evangelical  commentators 
must  agree  in  these  points  of  interpretation;  that  witliin 
490  years  from  a  date  not  stated  here,  Messiah,  the 
Most  Holy,  should  comc^  and  by  means  of  an  effectual 
offering  for  sin,  supersede  the  legal  sacrifices  and  ter- 
minate tlie  Jewish  dispensation.     "  Thy  people  and  thy 

*  It  is  not  a  lillle  remarkable,  that  William  C.  Davis,  of  South  Carolina, 
Th.  R.  Robertson,  of  Indiana,  and  Wolf,  the  Jewish  jMissionary,  in  calcu- 
lating the  limes  specified  in  the  Books  of  Dan.  and  Rev.  all  have  fixed 
the  end  of  the  ^300  days,  in  1847.  IMr.  Davis,  thought  this  would  be  the 
"conimencLment  of  the  Millennium V"  Mr.  Robertson  viewed  it  as  "the 
downfall  of  the  Pope;"  and  Mr.  Wolf  confidently  expected  "Christ's  per- 
sonal appearance  in  Jerusalem."  How  far  these  men  were  indebted  to 
each  other,  I  cannot  tell.  I  am  indebted  to  them  all — not  for  the  expecta- 
tions mentioned,  but  for  pointing  out  a  clue  by  which  I  can  arrive  at  cer- 
tainty as  to  the  time  of  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary. 

25* 


298  ORIGINAL    SER3I0NS. 

holy  cHy^  must  mean  the  Jewish  church.  "  To  finish  the 
ii'cmpgrcssion  and  make  an  end  oj  sin,^  or  as  Gabriel  ex- 
plained it,  "  to  make  rcconeiliation  for  iniquity  and  to  bring 
in  cxcrlastirig  righteousness^'^''  means  the  atonement  of 
the  cross.  "  To  seal  np  the  vision  and  propheey''''  means 
to  accomplish  and  fulfil  what  was  written  in  the  law 
and  prophets  concerning  Messiah.  ''To  annoint  the 
Most  Holy  or  Holy  of  Holies-^''  this  was  the  name  of  the 
Sanctuary  or  inner  part  of  the  temple,  a  pattern  of 
heaven,  into  which  Christ  entered  when  he  had  offered 
himself  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  and  sprinkled  the  most  holy, 
place  witli  his  own  hlood.  The  name  Most  Holy,  or 
Holy  of  Holies  is  here  properly  given  to  Messiah,  who 
was  greater  than  the  Temple,  because  in  him  dwelt 
the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  and  God  annointed  him: 
Christ  is  God's  holy  and  annointed  one. 

Thus  we  plainly  see  that  the  "  seventy  weeks"  were 
to  continue  till  the  close  of  the  Jewish  dispensation  and 
no  longer. 

The  angel  having  given  this  general  statement,  pro- 
ceeded to  particulars,  and  divided  the  70  weeks  into 
three  parts.  "  Know  therefore  and  understand,  from 
the  croins:  forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore  and  to 
build  (Heb.  build  again)  Jerusalem,  unto  the  Messiah 
the  Prince,  seven  weeks  (49  years)  and  three  score 
AND  TWO  WEEKS,  (434  ycars,)  and  cftcr  62  weeks  shall 
Messiah  be  cut  off;  and  he  shall  confirm  the  covenant 
with  many,ybr  (during)  Ox\e  aveek  (7  years)  and  in  the 
midst  (middle)  of  the  week,  he  shall  cause  the  sacrifice 
and  the  oblation  to  cease,"  (Dan.  ix.  25,  26,  27,)  that 
is,  supersede  the  legal  dispensation  by  the  one  offering 
of  himself  on  the  cross.  Let  us  note  the  specifications 
of  the  angel  in  the  order  of  time. 


THE  SANCTUARY  CLEANSED.  299 

years. 

Parti,   ^a-entceet^,  to  build  again  Jerusalem,      ...  49 

"  2.  Sixty-two  M-eet*,  till  the  public  inaugiualion  of  Messiah,  434 
"     3.  One  week,  Messiah  cut  off  ia  the  midst,         ...         7 

Total,    Seventy  weeks, 490 

"We  know  that  Jerusalem  was  buiJt  again  in  49 
years,  (seven  weeks.)  "  the  street  and  the  wall,"  "  even 
in  troublous  times,"  as  the  angel  said.* 

Messiah  was  publicly  inaugurated  when  he  was  30 
years  old,  (Luke  iii.  ^S.)  434  years  (62  weeks)  after  the 
rebuilding  took  place. 

In  the  middle  of  the  one  week  or  last  7  years  which 
remained  of  the  whole  70  weeks,  Messiah  was  cut  off 
by  the  death  of  the  cross.  The  last  half  of  this  week 
was  spent  by  the  apostles  and  others  in  preaching  the 
gospel  to  the  Jews  only^  (Acts  viii.  4.  com.  xi.  19.)  who 
were  first  converted  to  Christianity;  and  thus,  by  the 
public  ministry  of  Christ,  during  three  years  and  a 
half,  by  his  death  at  that  predicted  period,  and  by  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  to  the  Jews,  the  remainder  of 
the  week,  three  years  and  a  half,  "beginning  at  Jeru- 
salem," (Luke.  xxiv.  47.)  Messiah  "confirmed  the  cove- 
nant with  inany\  for  one  wcek^'"'  which  evidently  ended 
in  A.  D.  37.     This  ended  the  Jewish  dispensation,  and 

^  Vide  Ezra  and  Nehemiah.  The  Jews  said  46  years,  John  xi.  20;  but 
they  must,  if  they  spoke  accurately,  have  left  out  the  years  in  which  the 
work  was  hindered  by  Artaxerxes,  Ezra,  iv.  21,  24. 

t  Acts.  xxi.  20.  Thou  seest,  brother,  how  many  thousands  of  Jews 
there  are  who  believe.  Gr.  posai  muriades;  Lat.  quot  decern  millia;  Eng. 
how  many  myriads  or  tens  of  thousands.  Com.  Acts  ii.  41- — there  were 
added  three  thousand — iv.  4.  Many  of  them  that  heard  the  word  believed ; 
and  the  number  of  the  men  was  about  five  thousand,  vi.  7  .  And  the  word 
of  God  increased,  and  the  number  of  the  disciples  multiplied  in  Jerusalem 
greatly ;  and  a  great  company  of  the  priests  were  obedient  to  the  faith. 


300  ORIGINAL    SERMONS. 

the  gospel  was  preached  to  the  Gentiles.*  And  then 
followed  Avhat  was  stated  hy  Gabriel,  (Dan.  ix.  26,27,) 
the  people  of  a  prince  should  come  for  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem^  and  bear  down  all  before  them,  like  a 
deluge  of  waters;  for  unto  the  end  desolations  were 
determined. 

That  the  70  weeks  was  the  beginning  of  the  2300 
days,  is  evident,  1st.  Because  the  angel  gave  the  ex- 
planation of  these  weeks  as  a  clue  to  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  whole  vision,  which  was  to  extend  till  the 
cleansing  of  the  sanctuary.  2.  Because  these  70 
weeks  or  490  years,  closing  three  years  and  a  half  after 
the  death  of  Christ,  must  have  commenced  453  years 
before  his  birth;  this,  of  course,  included  the  Grecian 
empire,  next  to  the  Persian,  and  a  considerable  part  of 
the  Roman,  which  was  in  its  glory  in  the  time  of  our 
Saviour,  Augustus  Cffisar  being  on  the  throne  of  the 
empire.  So  that  the  design  of  introducing  the  70 
weeks  was  to  designate  the  first  part  of  the  vision. 

3.  Because  the  angel  considered  both  as  one  vision, 
(Y.  26.)  "And  the  vision  of  the  evening  and  of  the 
morning,  which  was  told,  is  true:  v>^herefore  shut  thou 
up  the  vision:  for  it  shall  be  for  many  days." 

Now,  that  "the  time,  times  and  a  half,"  or  42  months, 
making  1260  3^ears,  was  the  end  of  the  vision,  is  evident 
from  these  facts:  that  the  antichristian  power,  which 
should  arise  after  the  ten  kingdoms  of  the  fourth  beast, 
should  begin  and  end  with  this  period  of  1260  years; 
that  his  dominion,  at  this  appointed  time,  should  be 
consumed  and  destroyed;  "and  the  kingdom  and  do- 

*  See  the  conversion  of  Saul  to  be  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  Acts  ix. 
Peter  preaching  to  Cornelius,  Acts  x;  and  the  address  of  Paul  and  Barna- 
bas to  the  Jews.     Acts  xiii.  46,  17. 


THE  SANCTUARY  CLEANSED.  301 

minion  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the 
whole  heaven  he  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of 
the  Most  High,"  (Dan.  vii.  23 — 27;)  so  that  it  is  per- 
fectly manifest  that  the  end  of  Antichrist  (whoever  he 
be)  and  the  end  of  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  occur 
at  the  same  time. 

Here  then  is  the  grand  clue.  1.  The  whole  vision 
contains  2300  years.  2.  It  is  impossible,  by  the  most 
accurate  dates  we  have  in  history,  to  find  the  begin- 
ning of  those  years,  nor  can  we  tell  by  our  best  chro- 
nological tables,  whether  the  "commandment,"  men- 
tioned, "to  build  again  Jerusalem,"  was  the  decree  of 
Cyrus,  Darius,  or  Artaxerxes;  all  of  which  are  recorded 
by  Ezra.  Ezra  i.  1 — 4;  vi.  8^ — 12;  vii.  11 — 15.  But, 
3.  We  have  found  tliat  the  70  weeks  or  490  years 
ended  A.  D.  37.  4.  We  can  now  calculate  exactly, 
either  backv/ard  or  forward,  and  so  form  an  interme- 
diate point,  ascertain  with  mathematical  exactness, 
both  the  beginning  and  the  end.  5.  By  this  method 
we  find  precisely  the  times  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  Anti- 
christ. 6.  This  will  demonstrate  that  the  sanctuary 
shall  be  cleansed  when  Antichrist  goes  to  perdition. 

Now  see  the  calculation. 

Table  I.  years. 

Daniel's  70  weeks,  each  7  da^'s,  a  day  for  a  year,  490 

These  ended  A.  D.  37 :  Messiali  being  inaugurated  A.  D.  30 ;  cut 
off  in  the  middle  of  the  last  week,  A.  D.  SSs  ;  the  gospel 
preached  to  the  Jews  3^  years — end  the  Jewish  dispensation, 
A.  D.  37 

Subtract  37  from  490 — leaves  453 

before  the  Christian  era;  the  time  of  the  decree  to  build  again 
Jerusalem. 

Subtract  453  from  2300,  the  whole  time  of  the  vision,  and  you 
have  the  end  A.  D.  1847 

From  1847,  the  end  of  the  vision,  subtract  a  "time,  times  and  a 
half,"  1;:260,  tiie  period  marked  for  the  reign  of  Antichrist,  and 
you  have  the  beginning  of  his  reign,  A.  D.  587 


303  ORIGINAL    SER3IONS« 

Table  II. 

years* 
From  the  first  of  the  vision  to  the  birth  of  Clirist,  453 

From  the  birtli  of  C'hrist  to  tlie  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Antichrist,  587 
Antichrist  reigns  42  months,  and  falls,  12C0 

These  added  make  the  whole  time  of  the  vision  2300 

From  the  above  tables,  you  see  that  "from  the  going 
forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore  and  to  build  Jeru- 
salem," to  the  birth  of  Christ,  were  453  years.  From 
the  birth  of  Christ  to  the  end  of  the  Jewish  dispensa- 
tion and  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  were  37  years, 
which  closed  Daniel's  70  weeks  or  490  years.  From 
the  birth  of  Christ  to  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of 
Antichrist,  587  years;  from  thence  to  his  downfall^ 
1260;  which  brings  the  overthrow  of  Antichrist  and 
the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  to  the  same  point  of 
time,  A.  D.  1847.  This  is  according  to  the  scripture 
date,  and  may  vary  a  year  or  two  from  the  vulgar  date; 
but  as  it  rests  on  the  correct  account  of  the  Bible,  it 
inay  be  relied  on  as  authentic.  We  must  not  con- 
clude that  the  Bible  has  given  us  descriptions  and  num.- 
bers  for  nothing.  If  any  think  that  to  calculate  is 
arrogant,  let  him  look  at  the  rfr//r/ fairly,  and  not  hastily 
suppose  that  things  cannot  be  known  because  great 
and  good  men  have  made  mistakes.  Daniel  was 
directed  to  "go  his  way  and  rest,"  (Dan,  xii.  13;)  but 
before  the  70  weeks  expired,  many  anxiously  expected 
the  Lord  to  come  suddenly  to  his  temple,  (Mai.  iii.  1 ;) 
and  when  Messiah,  in  the  tnidst  of  the  last  week^  by  his 
death,  confirmed  the  covenant,  and  caused  "the  sacri- 
fice and  oblation  to  cease,"  the  church  had  a  clue  by 
which  she  might  have  calculated,  with  perfect  preci- 
sion, the  time  of  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary,  and 
the  rise  and  fall  of  Antichrist. 


THE  SANCTUARY  CLEANSED.  303 

There  is  an  obvious  reason  why  the  cleansing  of  the 
sanctuary  and  the  downfall  of  Antichrist  form  a  syn- 
chronism. We  are  not  taught  to  look  for  Antichrist 
out  of  the  church,  but  in  the  churchy  sitting  in  the  temple 
of  God,  2  Thes.  ii.  4.  His  distinguishing  features 
are  hypocrisy^  tyranny^  idolatry^  and  intolerance,  Dan. 
vii.  21.  25;  Rev.  xix.  20.  This  antichristian  power 
was  to  rise  within  the  limits  of  the  Roman  empire, 
after  pagan  Rome  was  taken  out  of  the  way,  (Dan. 
vii.  24;  com.  2  Thes.  ii.  7;)  was  to  arise  within  the 
church,  with  all  "deceivableness  of  unrighteousness," 
2  Thes.  ii.  10;)  and  was  to  fix  the  seat  of  ecclesiastical 
domination  in  the  city  of  Rome.  Rev.  xvii.  9.  18, 
and  Hurd  on  the  prophecies.  Sec.  vii.  viii.  Boston 
ed.,  1809. 

We  know  that  such  a  power  did  arise.  After  the 
downfall  of  the  Western  Empire,  the  Bishop  of  Rome 
reared  his  head,  and  amidst  the  ruins  of  that  mighty 
power,  found  means  to  advance  himself  into  the  sove- 
reignty of  Rome,  and  of  the  Christian  world;  fixing  his 
residence,  not  in  the  "chair  of  St.  Peter,*'  but  in  the 
very  seat  and  throne  of  the  Cagsars. 

The  papal  power  rose  to  its  height  in  the  11th  cen- 
tury, when  Berengarius,  a  man  of  note,  called  the 
Church  of  Rome  the  seat  of  Satan,  cin  apocalyptic  name 
of  Antichrist.  In  the  preceding  century,  Arnulphus, 
Bishop  of  Orleans,  speaking  of  John  XY.,  who  then 
governed  the  church  of  Rome,  appealed  to  the  whole 
council  in  these  words:  "What  think  ye, Rev.  Fathers, 
of  this  man,  seated  on  a  lofty  throne,  and  shining  in 
purple  and  gold?  Whom  do  ye  account  him  to  be? 
Surely,  if  destitute  of  charity,  and  puffed  up  with  the 
pride  of  science  only,  he  is  Antichrist,  sitting  in  the 


304  ORIGINAL  SERMONS. 

temple  of  God,  and  showing  himself  that  he  is  God.'' 
Pascal  II.  sat  upon  the  papal  throne,  in  the  beginning 
of  the  12th  century;  at  which  time  the  marks  of  Anti- 
christ w^ere  so  visible,  that  St.  Bernard,  the  most  emi- 
nent person  of  that  age,  said,  that  "  The  beast  of  the 
apocalypse  had  seated  himseli'  in  the  chair  of  St. 
Peter.''* 

You  all  know  the  opinions  of  the  Reformers  on  this 
subject;  and  you  all  must  see,  that  as  Antichrist  took 
his  rise  and  has  continued  his  domination  in  the  church, 
pretending  to  be  the  successor  of  Peter,  and  the  Vicar 
of  Christ,  the  cleaiising  of  the  sanctuary  is  not  accom- 
plished till  the  downfall  of  Antichrist  is  complete. 
This  long  looked-for  period  is  just  at  hand.  This 
event,  so  long  the  subject  of  prophecy  and  promise,  of 
prayer  and  expectation,  must  take  place  within  a  period 
less  than  twenty  years.!  I  make  allow^ance  for  the 
difference  betw^een  the  Bible  dates  and  the  vulgar 
dates. 

And  now,  with  godly  fear,  and  an  unshaken  faith  in 
the  scriptures  of  truth,  I  say,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  to 
the  church,  watch  and  trvy,  lest  that  day  come  upon 
you  as  a  snare.     Luke  xxi.  31 — 3G. 

Some  will  say,  "the  time  is  too  short.  There  is  too 
much  yet  to  be  done  before  the  sanctuary  is  cleansed. 
Popery,  with  all  its  errors,  superstitions,  impieties,  and 
horrors,tobe  destroyed!  Intemperance, Sabbath-break- 

*  Hurd,  pp.  184,  185.  St.  Bernard  was  under  a  mistake.  Peter  was 
never  at  Rome.  See  an  unanswered  and  unanswerable  argument  on  this 
point,  published  in  the  Pandect,  vol.  i.  1828 — 9.  See  also  Paul's  epistle 
to  the  Romans,  ch.  xvi,,  in  which  he  sends  his  love  to  every  body  but  Peter. 
If  Peter  had  been  Bishop  of  Rome,  would  Paul  have  overlooked  him? 

1 14  years,  if  the  Bible  date  and  the  vulgar  date  agreed. 


"    THE  SANCTUARY  CLEA^fSED.  305 

ing,  slavery,  freemasonry,  idolatry,  war,  and  all  erro- 
neous creeds  to  be  eradicated  and  blotted  from  the 
church  of  God!     Oh!  it  cannot  be  done  in  twenty,  no, 
not  in  fifty  years!"     No,  my  brethren,  if  these  were 
works  for  man  to  accomplish,  it  could  never  be  done. 
But  Jehovah  has  said,  "  I  the  Lord  will  hasten  it  in  his 
time.*'     Isa.  Ix.   21,  22.     '"Is  anything  too  hard  for 
the  Lord?''     Gen.  xviii.  14.     Remember  that  haughty 
unbeliever  who  fell  in  the  gate  of  Samaria !     2  Kings 
vii.  2.  17.  20.     Behold!     See!     Shall  not  the  church 
of  Jesus  Christ  be   suddenly  surprised  with  his  fiery 
indisrnation  against  his  enemies,  and  the  smiles  of  his 
countenance   on  all  his  friends!     But  I  must  remind 
you  that  the   angel  discovered  to  Daniel  two    other 
periods  after  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary,  of  great 
importance  to  the  church.     The  fii'st  is   1290  days  or 
years  from  the  time  that  "the  abomination  that  maketh 
desolate  shall  be  set  up,"  and  the  second  period  is  1335 
davs  or  vears  from  the  same  time.     Dan.  xii.  11,  12. 
We  know  that  '*the  abomination  of  desolation  spoken 
of  by  Daniel  the  propliet,"  was  the  power  of  Rome, 
pagan,  when  Jerusalem  was  compassed  with  armies, 
(Mat.  xxiv.  15,  !Mark  xiii.  14;  compare  Luke  xxi.  20,) 
in  the  siege  and  destruction  of  that  devoted  city  by 
Titus.     But  we  know  also  that  invasion  and  desolation 
was  but  an  emblem  of  the  power  of  Rome  papal,  "wear- 
ing out  the  saints,  given  into  his  hand,  a  time,  times, 
and  the  dividing  of  time,"  during  which  period  of  three 
years  and  a  half,  io-^iy  and  two  montlis,  or  12G0  years, 
"Jerusalem  should  be  trodden  under  foot  of  the  Gen- 
tiles."    It  is  plain  then  that  these  two  periods  both 
begin  with   the  commencement  of  the  reign  of  Anti- 
christ.    The   first   extends   beyond   the    time   of  the 

26 


306  ORIGINAL  SERMONS# 

cleansing  of  the  sanctuary,  30  years;  the  second  extends 
beyond  these,  45  years  more.  These  two  periods 
together  make  75  years,  which,  added  to  the  1847,  the 
time  when  the  sanctuary  shall  be  cleansed,  carries  us 
down  to  the  year  192'2,  for  the  day  of  blessedness,  or 
rather  the  dawn  of  the  Sabbatical  thousand  years  of 
the  world;  the  sunrise  of  which,, as  I  anticipate,  will  be 
at  the  close  of  6000  years  from  the  creation,  and  two 
thousand  after  the  birth  of  Christ.  My  expectation  is 
founded  on  the  present  calculation  and  the  scriptural 
use  of  the  number  seven.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  two 
periods  of  30  years  and  45  years,  after  the  cleansing  of 
the  sanctuary,  are  fully  sufficient  for  the  conversion  of 
the  world,  Jews  and  Gentiles;  and  this  must  be  evident 
to  all  who  consider  what  changes  have  taken  place  in 
the  last  thirty  years.*  It  is  evident  the  world  cannot 
be  converted  to  God  till  the  sanctuary  is  cleansed, 
(John  xvii.  21.  23,)  and  then  the  progress  of  the  gospel 
will  be  attended  with  very  signal  and  rapid  effects. 
Its  light  and  truth  will  go  forth  conquering  and  to  con- 
quer. Papists,  infidels,  Jews,  and  nominal  Christians 
must  all  yield  to  its  divine  energy,  or  be  broken  in 
pieces,  like  a  potter's  vessel.  All  churches  that  are 
radically  wrong  shall  tumble  to  ruin.  All  founded  on 
bigotry  shall  be  lost  in  disgrace.  All  having  combusti- 
ble matter  mingled  with  truth  shall  be  purged  as  by 

*  The  calculation  is  thus  made :  years. 

Reign  of  Antichrist  is                _               _             -             .  logQ 

Which  deduct  from  1290,  (Dan.  xii.  11,)  and  3'ou  leave  -         30 

for  the  conversion  of  the  Jews. 

Again,  take  1090  from  1.33;"),  and  you  leave              -  -             45 

for  the  "fulness  of  the  Gentiles,"  and  the  dawn  of  the  brighter  time  of 

blessedness.     "Blessed  is  he  that  waiteth  and  cometh  to  the  1335  days." 

D?in,  xii,  12. 


THE  SANCTUARY  CLEANSED.  307 

fire,  and  perhaps  the  very  best  shall  have  some  parts  of 
their  venerated  creeds  crossed  and  condemned!  All 
nominal  Christians  must  turn  to  God,  or  be  suddenly 
destroyed  by  Jehovah's  vengeance! 

Who  among  us  is  prepared  for  the  signal  displays  of 
the  divine  power  and  glory?  "  Gird  up  now  thy  loins;" 
"prepare  to  meet  thy  God,  O  Israel."  Sleep  not,  but 
watch.  Do  you  not  feel  the  tremendous  earthquake 
which  now  shakes  the  whole  world?  Is  not  every 
political,  every  ecclesiastical  community  shaken  to  its 
centre?  Is  not  truth  fallen  in  the  streets  and  equity 
cannot  enter?  Do  you  not  see  the  drying  up  of  the 
great  river  Euphrates — the  Ottoman  empire?  Floods, 
fires,  tornadoes,  famines,  earthquakes,  in  divers  places; 
the  pestilence,  walking  in  darkness;  the  destruction, 
wasting  at  noon-day,  have  all  spoken,  and  still  speak, 
in  the  ears  of  this  generation! 

What  is  our  duty  as  Christians  in  this  solemn  crisis? 
If  we  would  avert  from  our  country  and  from  our  be- 
loved Zion,  those  judgments  which  are  coming  on  the 
earth;  if  we  w^ould  secure  the  divine  favor  and  protec- 
tion in  the  time  of  unprecedented  trouble,  already  com- 
menced; let  us  wdth  unabated  zeal  protest^  solemnly 
protest  against  the  corruption  of  the  church  and  the  im- 
pieties of  the  state.  Let  us  fortify  ourselves  against 
the  insidious  attempts  which  are  artfully  made  to  ren- 
der error  plausible,  by  an  improved  spirit  and  amended 
character.  Let  us  remove  to  a  greater  distance  and 
show  more  decidedly  by  our  conduct,  that  we  have 
come  out  and  are  separate  from  those  who  corrupt  the 
word  of  God,  and  from  those  also  who  use  their  political 
power  to  promote  the  desecration  of  Christian  institu- 
tions, and  elevate  to  honor  and  influence  the  ministers 


308  ORIGINAL    SER3IONS. 

of  Anticlirist.  Let  us  more  diligently  disseminate  at 
home  and  abroad  the  Oracles  of  God.  Let  us  strive  to 
enlighten  and  instruct  mankind  in  the  truth  of  the 
Gospel  by  a  form  of  sound  words.  Let  us  spread  around 
us  the  principles  and  blessings  of  genuine  liberty,  by 
moderating  the  violence  of  political  animosities,  and  of 
religious  dissentions;  by  breaking  every  yoke  and  let- 
ting the  oppressed  go  free;  by  increasing  our  efforts  in 
the  cause  of  injured  humanity,  till  we  have  purged  avray 
the  foulest  blot  re  maining  on  our  national  honor  and 
Christian  character.  Let  us  permit  and  teach  the  de- 
graded and  demoralized  slave  to  rejoice  in  the  privi- 
leges of  a  freeman  and  a  Christian.  Let  us  put  away 
all  our  iniquities,  act  up  to  our  Christian  principles, 
being  instant,  constant,  and  fervent  in  prayer  for  the 
church  of  God,  her  purity,  peace,  and  prosperity,  and 
for  our  beloved  country,  that  she  may  not  be  swept 
away  in  the  day  of  God's  vengeance. 

Let  us  wait  in  expectation  of  the  approaching  day 
of  our  Lord,  that  it  may  be  said  of  us,  "  Because  thou 
hast  made  the  Most  High  thy  habitation,  there  shall  no 
evil  befall  the e'"^ — "in  the  shadow  of  his  wings  shall  be 
thy  refuge,  until  these  calamities  be  overpast."t 


P.  S.  The  substance  of  this  sermon  was  delivered  in  the  1st  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Cincinnati,  in  the  summer  of  1828.  It  was  repeated  in  three 
churches  in  Philadelphia,  twice  by  request,  in  1831.  It  has  since  been 
preached,  by  request,  in  Wheeling  and  Louisville.  A  request  was  made 
nvo  years  ago  for  its  publication ;  but  the^uthor  had  no  time  then  to  prepare 
it  for  the  press,  having  delivered  it  from  short  notes.  He  now  has  written 
it  out— and  he  gives  it  to  the  Church  with  his  fervent  prayers,  that  those 

*  Psalm  xci.  9, 10.     The  Security  of  the  Godly., 

+  Psalm  Ivii.  1—11.     A  psalm  of  David  when  he  fled  from  Saul. 


THE  SANCTUARY  CLEANSED.  309 

who  read  may  understand.  The  uninspired  authors  to  whom  he  is  indebted 
are  Mede,  Hurd,  E.  Cooper,  W.  C.  Davis,  Th.  R.  Robertson,  and  J.  Wolf. 

If  there  be  any  thing  incorrect  in  this  discourse,  the  grateful  acknowledg- 
ments of  the  writer  shall  be  tendered  to  any  one,  who,  in  a  proper  manner, 
will  point  out  his  mistakes. 

It  is  proper  to  apprise  our  patrons,  that  in  regard  to  subjects  and  the  manner 
of  discussing  them,  there  has  been  no  concert  among  those,  who  have  fur- 
nished sermons  for  this  little  volume.  Thus  it  is  evident,  that  without  con- 
ference or  correspondence,  or  even  personal  acquaintance,  there  are  minis- 
ters in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  who  can  and  do  speak  the  same  things — 
who  can  and  do  speak  the  language  of  the  true  reformers  in  all  ages.  May 
the  Lord  increase  their  number,  purity,  piety,  zeal,  and  success,  till  "  the 
light  of  the  Moon  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  Sun,  and  the  light  of  the  Sun  as 
seven  days,  in  the  day  that  the  Lord  bindeth  up  the  breach  of  his  people, 
and  healeth  the  stroke  of  their  wound."     Isa.  xxx.  26. 


THE  END. 


} 


APOLOGY. 

Our  patrons  had  reason  to  expect  in  this  volume,  a  greater  number  of 
sermons  from  the  pen  of  Dr.  Wilson.  The  publishers  have  inserted  all 
which  he  has  been  able  to  furnish,  in  the  midst  of  his  numerous  and  pressing 
obligations,  and  it  has  been  highly  gratifying  both  to  him  and  them,  that 
so  rich  a  variety  of  important  discourses  have  been  received  from  other 
quarters  to  till  up  the  vacant  places. 

In  looking  over  the  index,  our  subscribers  may  perhaps  feel  disappointed ; 
but  if  they  will  read  the  book  through,  they  will  bless  God,  that,  by  this  disap- 
pointment, a  reproach  is  wiped  away  from  the  church:  for  it  has  been  a  cur- 
rent remark  that  "no  two  men  agree;"  but  here  are  a  greater  number 
than  was  requisite' fc^i^e  safety  of  Sodom,  (Isa.  i.  9,)  who  "speak  and  mind 
the  same  things,"  and  whether  the  things  they  speak  be  truth^  they,  whose 
duty  it  is  to  "  tiy  the  spirits,"  must  judge.  The  reader  will  be  so  kind  as 
to  correct  the  following  errors  of  the  press: 

P.  270,  line  2  from  bottom,  for  Raronian,  read  Racovian;  p.  275,  10th 
line  from  top,  for  earnest,  read  honest;  p.  280,  bottom  line,  for  thein 
read  its. 


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